How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?
by ilovemedia18
Summary: She'd always been a cop, it was part of her But while undercover things went bad and she wasn't the same But when she's at the right place at the right time Frank wants her back on the force She misses being a cop and she misses the Reagan family as well More importantly she misses her best friend Danny who's still coping with his divorce Can two broken people find happiness again?
1. Reunited

It had been a long day and I was tired. All I wanted to do was go home and fall asleep on the couch watching reruns of Fraiser. All I wanted to do, was that so much to ask? Apparently so because I was currently lying on the floor with seven other people while a man wielded a gun above our heads. He was stressed because his robbery didn't go as planned. He didn't expect the owner to have a gun behind the counter and when he shot at the robber he missed and the guy spooked and shot him. He was still alive but he wouldn't last much longer unless he got help. I sighed and got on my knees,

"Sir." He reeled around, wide eyed and scarred. I needed to handle this delicately.

"Get down!" he pointed the gun at me and I held my hands above my head and nodded toward the owner,

"He needs medical attention."

"Well he shouldn't have pulled a gun! I wasn't gonna hurt nobody! I didn't wanna shoot anyone!" I kept calm,

"I know you didn't. It was supposed to be an easy grab and go, but it didn't go that way." He ran a hand over his face as tears streamed down his face,

"Why don't you let him and the others go?"

"If I let them go who will I have left?!"

"Me. You can keep me. He needs help and look at these people. Three women, a pregnant woman, a child, and a teenage boy. You don't want them here. There's too many people. Too many things could still go wrong." He thought about as he looked around the room, "If you let them take him out of here and he lives, you can't be charged with murder." His eyes locked with mine for a long time before he nodded.

"Okay, okay. What do I do?"

"Pick up the phone. The cops should pick up. Tell them that you're going to let all but one of the hostages go. Tell them one of them is wounded and he needs medical attention." He nodded and came towards me and grabbed my arm and pulled me up before heading to the phone. He called them and they answered. He relayed the message and I could hear them agree that he made the right choice. He hung up and looked at the boy,

"You help him up." The boy went over and helped the man out. "Now get out. All of you get out!" They quickly ran out the building and he let out a sigh of relief.

Danny watched as seven people came running out. They go them all rounded up and the man into an ambulance. He grabbed the boy because he was the least emotional one and he could probably get a straight answer out him,

"What's your name?"

"K-Keith." He was a bit shaken up but was holding it together pretty well,

"Okay kid, tell me what happened." He took a deep breath,

"A man came, he tried to rob the store but the owner pulled out a gun and shot at him. He missed and the guy freaked out and shot at him. When he realized he'd shot him he started cursing and screaming. Then he tried to get away but you guys got here too quickly and so he took us hostage. Everybody was a mess except this one woman. She was very calm and collected. She patched the owner up as best she could."

"Which woman is she?"

"She's inside. She got him to let us all go. She said she'd stay if he let the rest of us go." Danny sighed.

"Alright, could you give me a description of the man or the woman?" He nodded,

"He was tall, about your height. Blonde hair. He wore a red cap."

"Okay, did you get a look at his eyes? What color they were?"

"Yeah, brown. And he had a bandage around his left hand. It looked a bit swollen like he had punched something." Danny nodded,

"Alright, now what about the woman?"

"She was just a foot or two taller than me. She had reddish brown hair. Um, her eyes were brown as well."

"Anything else?"

"Um oh! Yeah she had a tattoo on her left shoulder and on her forearm."

"Okay good, what were they?"

"The one on her arm was a quote. I recognized it from the Shakespeare play Hamlet that my teacher made us read. To thine own self be true." Danny recognized the quote. Not because he had actually read Shakespeare's work but because one of his old friends had it tattooed on their arm. He shook the thought out of his head and focused,

"Okay and the one her shoulder?"

"It was some Celtic design looked like a trinity looking thing and some Latin words on each side." Danny cursed and took his pen and did a quick sketch of the tattoo,

"Is this it? Are these the words that she had around it?" Keith looked at it and nodded,

"Yeah that's it! What do they mean?" He sighed,

"In Nomine Patri, Et Fili, Spiritus Sancti. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Alright thanks kid." He motioned to one of the officers and pointed at the boy, "This officer is gonna ask you some more questions. Take care kid." Danny cursed as he headed to the negotiations officer, "Call him."

"Regan, we've already been over this you're not-"

"**Call him!**" Jackie put a hand on his shoulder,

"Danny what is it?" He let out a frustrated sigh,

"I know the hostage Jack. We grew up together." She nodded,

"Okay but-"

"Jack she's a cop." Jackie's jaw dropped and her eyes went wide, "Well, she was. She took a leave of absence a few years ago. She's still of the roster but she hasn't been on duty for almost five years now. That's why she had him keep her and let the others go." He looked at the negotiator, "She's trying to get him to give himself up, now call him before I call her." The man grumbled and called him.

I looked at him and saw a broken man. Something had pushed him to do this. This wasn't something he chose to do. That's why he was so sloppy. The phone rang and he jumped,

"It's okay. It's just the phone." He stared at it, "Do you want me to answer it?" He hesitated before nodding,

"I want to know what they're saying and you don't say anything without me telling you. Got it?" I nodded it and picked up the phone,

"Hello?"

"Kyla?" My eyes widened a bit. I knew that voice,

"Yes, I'm speaking for him."

"Are you alright?" I looked at the man and decided to improvise a bit,

"They want to know if you need anything." He thought about it and glanced at the door,

"They need to leave! I don't want anything! Just leave!" I winced a bit at the desperate cry.

"Give me a moment."

"No, Kyla don't you dare." I sat the phone on the counter so he could still hear. I walked slowly toward to the man,

"Hey, I need you to relax. Okay? You know they aren't going anywhere. What's your name?"

"Mack." Tears streamed down his face,

"You didn't choose to come in here and rob the store did you?" He shook his head and started to cry,

"No… I just needed the money... f-for my brother."

"Why does your brother need the money?"

"H-He's twelve, and l-last year a guy hit him when he w-was walking home from school." He started sobbing, "H-he didn't even stop! He-he left him there!" I tried to calm him down a bit,

"Hey, it's okay. Tell me what happened next."

"He was in a comma, for-for nine months. W-when he woke… he couldn't feel his legs. T-the doctors… they-they say that if he has this one operation that-that he could walk again with the help of a cane… but-but…" he sobbed again,

"But you don't have the money." He nodded,

"I'm all he has left! Our parents left us when I turned eighteen. I didn't go to college and I picked up two jobs to take care of us." My heart broke for him,

"But robbing a store won't help him. You'd only get at the most a hundred bucks or so. And that won't be enough. How much is the surgery?"

"T-thirteen thousand."

"What's your brother's name?"

"Kyle." I gently put my hand on Mack's arm,

"Mack, what Kyle needs is his brother. If I found a way for your brother to get that operation would you let the police take you?" He looked me in the eye,

"C-could you do that?" Clearly his brother was more important to him than his freedom. I nodded,

"Yes, I could." He sniffed a bit,

"Oaky. I'll do it." I smiled at him and held my hand out to him,

"Then you can start by handing me the gun." He hesitantly handed it over and with my free hand I put my hand on his back and gently lead him to the door. I opened it and we walked out. The cops moved in and took him,

"How will I know you kept your promise?"

"I'll bring him to you." He nodded. I handed the gun to one of the cops and then I saw Danny come running towards me. When he reached me he pulled me into a tight hug,

"You stupid woman." I laughed,

"Is that any way to greet an old friend?" He pulled back and gave me a look,

"What the heck's wrong with you? Offering yourself up as a hostage, putting the phone down, and talking him into giving himself up? Clearly you're still a cop at heart." I chuckled,

"Of course I am." His eyes softened a bit,

"You're gonna pay for his brothers operation aren't you?" I nodded a bit,

"Yeah, I am." He shook his head with a small smile and pulled me into a hug before kissing my head and muttered,

"Stupid girl." I laughed. Another cop came over and asked to talk to me to get a statement. "You know you've gotta meet with the PC now right?" I chuckled,

"Six o'clock. Top floor. I know the drill." He chuckled and I went off with the officer.

Danny knew that look that Jack was giving him and decided to answer her unasked question,

"No Jack." She held her hands up,

"I didn't say anything." Danny gave her look that said yeah right and she shrugged,

"She's pretty. And you seem to care a lot about her."

"We grew up together Jack. She's like eight years younger than me."

"Hey that didn't stop my parents." He gave her a look that said shut up. "I'm just saying." He knew she meant well but he still didn't want to go there with her… again. Ever since Linda left he had felt lonely when he was at home. They sold the house and split the money and agreed to switch weeks with the boys but Sunday the boys were always at the Reagan house for Sunday dinner. Linda actually suggested that. She wanted them to still be with their family. He found an apartment closer to his family and spent most of his time with them. That was almost three years ago. Linda and Danny were still friends, she just couldn't deal with the stress of being a cop wife. And he understood that. It's tough to have to constantly be worrying about if the report of a cop being shot is your loved one or that report about shots fired and drug busts gone wrong. He went through that with his dad when he was a kid. She told him when she started seeing a guy. That was five months ago. He had even met him. It was hard to hate him because he told Danny right off the bat that he wouldn't move in on his territory. That his boys would still be **his** boys. Linda wanted to make sure Danny was okay with it. Truthfully he wasn't but he said he was. She deserved to be happy and have a normal life. Jackie had been constantly trying to get him to go out with someone this last year. He kept saying no. He just couldn't deal with it yet. Then again He couldn't deal with being alone at night anymore. He made his way to the top floor and towards his dad's office,

"Hey Baker."

"He's expecting you." He chuckled,

"Thanks." He walked in and shut the door, "Hey dad." Frank stood and walked over and hugged him,

"Son. I saw the news." Danny nodded,

"She'll be here in a few minutes."

"It's been a while."

"I know. She did good though. She's even gonna pay for his brothers operation." Frank nodded his head,

"So I heard. Danny, I want your opinion on something." Danny crossed his arms and shifted his wait,

"Okay what is it?" Frank pursed his lips a moment before speaking,

"I'm going to offer Kyla her job back." Danny nodded but said nothing so he continued, "I want her to start off as a detective to get back into the swing of things. And then I'd like to move her back up to working undercover again."

"I dunno dad. Being a detective again, she might go for that. But going back undercover? That's another story." Frank nodded,

"I know it's a long shot but maybe if we give her time." Danny nodded understanding what his father was saying. There was a pause before Danny let out a sigh,

"She was one of the best wasn't she?" Frank nodded,

"Still is. That young man never even knew she was a cop. She gained his trust." Danny nodded and his father watched him, "How are you son?"

"I'm fine."

"Danny, I know that you say you're fine but I know that you're not. I know you don't want to talk to the family about it because… well it's your family. So I'm suggesting that after this you talk to Kyla." Danny chuckled,

"She always was a good listener wasn't she?" Frank smiled at him,

"Yeah, and she always had a way of getting things through that thick skull of yours." Danny laughed,

"Hey I got this thick skull from you." Frank laughed,

"Yeah that you did. You got your mother's temper though. That's also something Kyla's good at handling." Danny chuckled,

"Yeah, ya know when I was a teenager and she was still just a kid she still always knew when something was bothering me. She always listened to me and talked to me."

"When Jamie and Joe first brought her home I thought she was younger than Jamie. She was such a small thing for her age but she was also very smart too."

"Yeah… yeah she was." A silence fell over them and neither one said anything as they remembered older days. A knock sounded throughout the room and Frank called for them to enter.

I entered that oh so familiar office to see Frank and Danny standing there. I smiled at them and headed towards them. Frank smiled and held his hand out to me. I shook it before he pulled me into a hug,

"You did a brave thing today."

"I did what any cop would've done." Danny chuckled,

"But you're not just any cop." Frank nodded,

"What you did is worthy of a commendation."

"I'm not active though." Frank put his hands behind his back,

"Would you like to be?" I stared at him for a long time,

"I don't know." He nodded,

"Think about it. You could start off as a detective again and we could go from there." I nodded,

"I'll think about it." He nodded before smiling at me,

"Okay, then I suggest you two go. I'm assuming you have some catching up to do?" Danny and I chuckled and I hugged Frank again,

"It's good to see you again Frank." He chuckled,

"You too sweetie." Danny and I left and headed down the elevator before leaving the building. It was still light out and so we headed to a small pizza joint around the corner. I sat down at a table while Danny got the pizza. He came back with the pizza and two drinks. He slid the bottle to me and I gratefully took a big gulp of it. He chuckled,

"Tough day?" I smirked at him,

"Oh yeah, didn't I tell you I played hostage and negotiator today." He laughed,

"You're such a smart mouth." I laughed and took a bite of pizza,

"I learned from you didn't I?" He smiled,

"Yeah, I'll take credit for that one."

"You also taught me all those swear words I wasn't supposed to say as a kid." He laughed,

"You ratted me out every time!"

"You kept saying them!" He shook his head a bit with a smile,

"I was old enough to say them, you weren't."

"You still got yelled at." He chuckled,

"Yeah I did." There was a slight pause, "Will you do it? Come back I mean?" I shrugged,

"I don't know. I mean, I do miss the job. I just don't know if I'm ready to come back yet. If I'll freeze up or screw up-"

"You won't."

"How do you know? I mean anything could happen."

"And you're good at this. You know how to do your job and stay cool. Today proved that." I chuckled a bit,

"We'll see." Danny nodded and changed the subject,

"So what's new with you?"

"Nothing really. I went to Wales for a month and took a lot of pictures. I came back and worked for a company that specialized in wedding photography. Did that for a few months before quitting and going to work for my cousin. She lets me pick the shoots I want to do and when I want to do them." He nodded,

"You took our family photo." I smiled,

"Yeah, you and Joe wouldn't stop screwing around." He laughed,

"We put a caterpillar on Erin's shoulder." I laughed,

"I remember that! You guys made her cry. You knew she didn't like bugs." He chuckled,

"Mom got so mad."

"Two grown men acting like children, of course she got mad!" We both smiled at the memory, "What about you? Anything new with you?" He shook his head,

"Just the same old stuff. Family's still the same." I nodded knowing that he was avoiding my question,

"How are you Danny? I mean really, how are you?" He sighed, knowing he couldn't avoid this,

"Not so good. Better than before but it still hurts. I miss seeing my boys every day. I miss having someone to come home to."

"You feel alone." He nodded,

"I hate waking up alone. I hate how quiet it is." I nodded,

"You feel like a piece of you is gone."

"Yeah… a big piece." I grabbed his hand and squeezed it,

"You'll get there. It'll be slow but you will get there." He squeezed my hand back,

"I missed having you around. You've always been easy to talk to." I smiled,

"I'm always glad to lend an ear." He smiled and we finished off the pizza. I asked him if I could see his new place and he said yes. So we headed off to his apartment. It was closer to his family and it was smaller than his house. It was one floor but rather spacious. It had two bedrooms and two bathrooms. A good sized kitchen and living room and a small dining room. Danny showed me around and I noticed how they're were pictures hung up all around the place and that some of the decorations just didn't seem like Danny. He laughed,

"Yeah that was all Erin's idea. She thought it would make it seem more like a place to live in than a bachelor pad." I chuckled. The pictures all varied from Danny and the boys to his family and some of his friends from work. I stopped at one though that was in the small hallway. The frame was split into two parts. Both pictures were of me and Danny just after I graduated and became a cop. We were both dressed up and on the top picture we had these stupid looking over exaggerated grins on our faces while hugging each other like fan girls. And in the second picture we were just smiling with his arm wrapped around my shoulder. I smiled at the pictures. That was a good day. My cousin and her husband came to watch and they went out to dinner with me and the Reagan family. Danny chuckled from beside me and I looked over at him. He was very close and was smiling at the picture as well, "Jamie found those pictures when he was going through some of my boxes that I brought from home."

"I remember this day. We had a lot of fun partying afterwards." He chuckled,

"You got seriously drunk for the first time." I shoved him a bit and he laughed,

"You were the one who kept pushing the liquor." He shrugged,

"I thought ya could handle it."

"Apparently not. I made it through about five dances sober and the rest are just a blur." He chuckled,

"You were a hot mess."

"Yeah well thankfully it was only you and Joe that saw me like that. I think I would've died of embarrassment if your parents saw me like that." He laughed and we went back into the living room. We ended up sitting on the couch and just watching TV. We talked about old memories, what we did when we lost touch, and what we were currently up to. Danny was handling this separated thing better than I thought he would. I could still see the hurt and the pain in his eyes but I knew he was slowly starting to heal. He told me about how the boys were starting to get used to it as well. I thought back to the last time I had seen the boys. I wondered if they'd even really remember me. Danny assured me that they could forget Aunt Ky. I smiled at the old name. When they were younger neither one could pronounce Kyla very well so I became Ky. Eventually I fell asleep with my head on Danny's shoulder.

Danny smirked when he felt her head hit his shoulder and saw that she was asleep. He moved his arm and pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and covered her up with it before wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She snuggled into his chest and he couldn't help but chuckle. He thought back to when they used to do this when they were younger. She hated watching scary movies but Joe, Jamie, and Danny loved them. She would always hide her face in his shoulder and he held her to "keep the monsters away." Danny slowly felt sleep start to take him and for the first time in three years he slept peacefully, because for the first time in a long time he wasn't alone.


	2. The first step in moving on

When I woke the next morning I found that I was lying with my head on Danny's chest and that his arm was wrapped around my shoulder. I looked up and smiled at how peaceful he looked. I knew that the divorce had been hard on him. I knew that he was feeling a lot of sorrow and heart ache from it still. I lied my head down again and shut my eyes going back to sleep.

Danny woke when the light came through the curtains and blinded him. He knew he slept on the couch but what he forgot was that he fell asleep with Kyla beside him. When he realized that she was actually still here and that it wasn't a dream he smiled. She looked peaceful. He brushed some hair out of her face, exposing her neck. He frowned a bit when he saw the scar that was still there. He gently ran his thumb across it. She wouldn't admit that it still bothered her but she didn't have to. The slightly dark circles under her eyes were enough to tell him that she wasn't sleeping well. He though about what had happened when she went undercover and just how much it screwed her head up. His heart still heart at the fact that he couldn't protect her. He knew it came with job, seeing friends get hurt, but it didn't make it any easier when he saw her lying on a hospital bed all black and blue and scratched up. She stirred a bit and he was pulled from his thoughts. She looked up at me and smiled before sitting up and yawning.

I stretched before looking back at Danny,

"What time is it?" He looked at his watch,

"About nine thirty."

"Don't you have work?" He shook his head,

"Nah, it's my day off." I chuckled,

"Gotta love those days off." He laughed,

"Oh yeah, cos you won't get another one for a while." He stood and held his hand out to me. I took it and he pulled me up,

"What are we doing?"

"Well, I was thinking we could visit Erin before heading over to the house to meet up with grandpa and Jamie." I smiled,

"Okay, can we stop by my place first? I'd like to change." He chuckled and nodded before leaving the room to change. I looked out the window. It was another day in the big city. I grabbed my jacket and flung it over my shoulder leaving me in my tank top. For some reason I liked feeling the cold autumn air against my skin. It reminded me that I could feel and that if I stayed out in it long enough that I could be numb to everything. I rubbed the back of my neck and sighed when I touched one of the many scars I still had.

Danny stood and watched her as she rubbed the back of her neck. He knew she was thinking about it again. He silently went up behind her and took hold of her hand and slowly pulled it away from her neck,

"Wanna talk about it?"

I hadn't even heard him come up behind me, but it didn't surprise me either. I bit my lip a bit,

"I'm just still jumpy I guess. I'm overcautious now. Constantly feeling like I have to look over my shoulder… I don't sleep well." He nodded and pulled me into a hug,

"You've always been there for me, so let me be here for you now. You don't have to face these demons alone." I nodded mutely into his chest. It felt good to hug him again. I had tried distancing myself from everything and all it did was make me lonely and long for my friends. Eventually we made it out the door and to my flat. I quickly changed into a short sleeved blue shirt and a pair of black jeans. Danny shook his head at me, "Don't you ever wear a coat?" I grinned and shook my head,

"You know me Danny, I'm always doing the opposite of the way things are done." We left my place and headed over to Erin's office. Danny knocked on her door and she called for us to enter. When we were in the room and she saw it was us she grinned,

"Kyla!" She quickly crossed the room and gave me a big hug. I laughed and returned it. Danny scoffed,

"What about me? I'm your brother here." Erin rolled her eyes,

"And I see **you** all time." She smiled at me, "I haven't seen you in a while."

"Yeah I know, I've been working for Lauren and Jacob's photography business." She grinned,

"I haven't seen them since your graduation. How are they?"

"Good, they're getting ready to have their second baby."

"Aw, you'll have to let me know when she has the baby so I can send her something." I chuckled,

"I will."

"How are you though?" I shrugged a bit,

"I'm alright. Better than I was."

"Dad told me about what happened yesterday. It sounds to me like you're still the best negotiator around." I laughed,

"I just did what came natural to me. Did he tell you that he offered me my job back?" Her eyes widened,

"No! Are you going to take it?"

"I don't know, I'm still thinking about it. I'd start out as a detective again. I think I could manage being a detective again." She nodded in understanding.

"We should get together some time. I'm sure Nicky would be happy to see you again." I grinned,

"I bet she's grown up a lot since I last saw her." Erin nodded,

"Too much if you ask me." I laughed,

"They all do." Danny cleared his throat,

"Sis, I was wondering if you happened to have a copy of that file from the Kyle Laurence case about a year ago. Boy was hit coming home from school. He was in a comma and when he woke he was paralyzed from the waist down." She thought about it for a moment,

"We had a suspect for that, didn't we?" He nodded,

"Yeah only problem was that we didn't have enough evidence to try him let alone convict him." She nodded and went to her file cabinet,

"Yeah I remember that. Poor kid, he had a brother didn't he?"

"Yeah Mack, that's the guy who robbed the store yesterday." She stopped and looked at us,

"That's what this is about isn't it?" Danny shrugged,

"Come on sis, can I have the file?" She crossed her arms,

"Why?"

"Because I wanna get this guy. Give the brother some closer." She raised an eyebrow at him before turning to me,

"What is it he isn't telling me?" I chuckled,

"Nothing, that's it. No catch. He only wanted to help his brother, but he does need closer. He's still angry at the man." She sighed before pulling out the file and handing it to Danny.

"Bring it back when you're done, and don't cause trouble." She looked at me, "Both of you." I put my hand to my chest and put on a look of fane shock,

"Me? Trouble?" She chuckled,

"Yes, you. When you two are together you're just as bad as him." I laughed,

"Okay yeah you have a point there." Danny looked at us,

"Hey!" we looked at him,

"What? It's true! You're a bad influence on her."

"Oh shut up sis." He opened the door and we laughed,

"See you later Erin!"

"I expect to see you more often Kyla!"

"Count it!"

"Bye sis!" Danny and I left and got in the car before heading over to his dad's place, "Grandpa will probably want you to stay for dinner." I smiled,

"Henry's cooking is fantastic. Actually of your family's cooking is great." He laughed,

"If we weren't cops we'd probably be chefs." I laughed,

"Yeah, and I'd be over every day eating the food." He chuckled,

"Because we know how terrible of a cook you are." I punched his shoulder a bit,

"Hey I tried! It just didn't work out." He scoffed,

"You burnt mac and cheese. Even my boys can make mac and cheese."

"Oh shut up." He laughed,

"It's okay, you can be the taste tester." I smiled,

"I'm always the taste tester." We pulled into the drive way and got out and headed up to the house. Danny unlocked the door and called out,

"Grandpa?"

"In the kitchen son!" He motioned for me to follow him and I did. I put my jacket on a peg by the door and followed Danny into the kitchen,

"Het grandpa, I brought a friend with me." Henry had his back to us as he put a chicken casserole into the oven,

"Really? Who'd you bring?" He shut the oven, stood, and turned around. "Kyla!" I grinned as the older man hugged me,

"Hey Henry. It's good to see you again."

"And you. I haven't seen you in a long time." I nodded,

"I've been here and there. Just trying to get my bearings again." He knew what I meant and didn't press it,

"You must stay for dinner." Danny and I shared a smile,

"I would love to stay." He grabbed a spoon and dug into the macaroni salad,

"Here try this. Tell me what you think." I smiled as Danny laughed. I took a bite and grinned,

"Delicious, as always." He grinned before having me try three other dishes. When Jamie came in and saw me he grinned before picking me up and spinning me around,

"Hello Jamie."

"I couldn't believe it when I heard that it was you who got the suspect to give himself up."

"Yup, it was me." He grinned,

"Are you staying for dinner?" Danny laughed,

"Of course she's staying." Jamie grinned at me,

"I think you owe me a fishing trip as well." I laughed,

"I think I owe you a few fishing trips." We sat around and talked until Frank came home and then we all sat down to dinner. Because eating together was much better than eating alone. When dinner was done we all sat around and talked for a bit longer before Danny and I decided to head out. He took me home and walked me to the door,

"So when will I see you again?" I shrugged,

"Whenever you like I guess."

"And what about dad's offer?" I sighed and leaned against the door,

"I want to be a cop again but… I'm afraid." I looked to the ground and waited for Danny's answer. He lifted my chin so I was looking him in the eyes,

"It's okay to be afraid. After what you went through you're allowed to be afraid. Just don't let that stop you from doing what you love." I gave him a small smile,

"Being a cop." He nodded,

"Give me a call when you decide what to do." I nodded and he pulled me into a hug and held me tightly,

"I will." He pulled away and gave me a small smile. I didn't want him to leave, I didn't want to be alone. But I let him leave. I watched as he drove away and I went to my bed room. The place was so quiet and yet so loud all at once. I was all alone and yet I could still hear the screams and the horrible laughing. I shook my head and tried to rid myself of those thoughts. I changed into sweat pants and a sports bra. Leaving most of my scars in plain sight. I put my hair up in a bun and crawled into bed. I had hoped that since I hadn't had any dreams last night that I wouldn't have any tonight as well. It was a hope.

_The room was dark and dank. It reeked of mold and blood. My wrists were raw from the rope that they were bound in. I knew I had a few broken ribs and I was sure that my face was black and blue. My body ached and death sounded much better than what I knew they still had planned for me. I was so tired. And yet I was so desperate to get out as well. There were things is still wanted to do and people I wanted to see again. My cousin Lauren and her husband were expecting their first baby, I was supposed to be the godmother. I still wanted to go to Wales and see Stonehenge. I wanted to see my best friend, Danny, and his family again. I was supposed to join them for Sunday dinner last week. Most of all I wanted to know if Micah was alright. I hadn't seen her since they separated us and I had no way of knowing if she was even alive or not. The door at the top of the stairs opened allowing a stream of light into the room. I hissed at the sudden brightness. A man came down the steps. I could only make out his silhouette because of the lighting,_

"_Still alive are we?" I cringed when I received a swift kick to my side, "Give you a few more days. Maybe you'll be dead by then." He walked back up the stairs and I felt my throat burn as I tried to beg him not leave again, to just kill me. The room then began to swirl and I could hear the laughter and the screams all so much louder as if they were right beside me. The laughing and the screaming mixing into one._

I shot out of bed and gasped. I was alone. The room was lit by the street lamps and I could feel the sheen of sweat that covered my body. I jumped out of bed and rang to the bathroom. I turned the shower on and stripped of my clothes before getting into the freezing cold water. I slid down against the wall and just cried. I could still hear the voices in my head. I couldn't do this anymore. I needed to face my demons and be done with them. No more running away. I stayed in the shower for a few more minutes before I shut the water off and grabbed a towel. I knew what I needed to do.

Danny was lying in bed staring at the ceiling. It was three in the morning and he couldn't sleep. He liked having Kyla over because she was his best friend and made him not feel so alone. He knew that he needed to move on and try and go out again but he just didn't know where to even start. He knew that Kyla and Jackie would help him without laughing at him like one of the guys would. And he could always go to his dad and his brother when he couldn't go to the girls. Danny jumped when he heard his phone ring. He quickly grabbed it,

"Danny Reagan."

"Danny, it's me."

"Kyla, it's three in the morning what are you still doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep." Danny sighed,

"Yeah, well, neither could I." She chuckled,

"Listen, I've made my decision and I'm in." Danny furrowed his brow,

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I want to be on the force again. I'm ready to be a cop again." Danny grinned,

"I'll pick you up in the morning and we'll head over to my dad's office."

"Sounds good."

"Hey Kyla."

"Yeah?"

"It's good to have you back." Danny knew she was smiling even he couldn't see her,

"Thanks Danny." And with that he hung up the phone and slowly he fell asleep.


	3. One, two, Freddy's coming for you

When Danny came to pick me up he was grinning,

"What are you grinning about?"

"Nothing, just glad that you're coming back is all." He put his arm around my shoulder as we walked to the car,

"Uhuh, sure." When we got to the top floor Baker let Frank know that we were here. When we entered his office he smiled at us,

"I take it you've come to a decision. And I take by the look on my son's face that you're going say yes." I chuckled and looked at Danny who shrugged,

"Yes I have come to a decision and the answer is yes. I think it'll be good for me." Frank nodded his head,

"I'll put you with Detectives Reagan and Curatola for a few weeks." I grinned,

"Thank you Commissioner." He chuckled,

"Go on now, you two have work to do." Danny and I left and I gave him a curious look,

"Did you do that? Ask him to partner me up with you?" He shook his head,

"Nah that was dad's idea."

"But you knew?" He shrugged,

"He may have told me last night after dinner." I chuckled before a thought dawned on me,

"Will your partner be okay with this?" He laughed,

"Jackie? Oh yeah, you two will get along great." And sure enough Danny was right. Jackie and I got along great. We talked about numerous different things but the one that we found most amusing was Danny.

"He eats like a pig." I laughed at the expression on Danny's face,

"Jack's right Danny you are bottomless pit. You should've seen him when he was in high school. There was one time when he forgot his-" Danny clamped a hand over my mouth. I tried to pry his hand off but it didn't work so I tried to get away but he wrapped his free arm around my waist and held me still,

"I think it's time we moved on to another subject besides my eating habits and the rest of my habits." I mumbled into his hand, "What was that? I'm sorry I don't think I heard you, could you repeat that?" I narrowed my eyes at him before looking at Jackie and winking. I licked Danny's hand and he pulled back, "Ew!" Jackie and I laughed,

"Every time! That works every time!" He wiped it off on me before ruffling my hair, "Hey!" Jackie shook her head,

"I see what Erin meant about you two being even worse together."

Danny shot Jackie a look saying don't you dare and she merely grinned at him. Thankfully Kyla hadn't caught it. They spent most of the day just going over cases and getting Kyla up to date on what's changed. When the work day was done Kyla invited Jackie and Danny to come over and have pizza. Jackie took a rain check for another day and shot him a look that said 'have fun' and he gave her a look that clearly stated shut up. When Danny got to Kyla's she was already changed out of her work clothes and was in a pair of sweats that she had cut into shorts that ended at the middle of her thigh and a tank top. Danny was appalled with himself when he found himself checking her out. Not because she wasn't good looking, no in fact he thought she looked really hot and not just in her current outfit either. He was appalled with himself because she was his best friend and he wasn't supposed to think that way about her. But that thought went out the window when she curled up against him to watch a movie while they waited for the pizza to arrive. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. Her hair smelled like cherry blossoms and he found himself wanting to bury his face in her hair.

I don't know why but I liked being close to Danny. He was warm and I felt comfortable and safe in his arms. I shook those thoughts out of my head. This was Danny we were talking about. Not Jamie or Joe, Danny. Danny Reagan. My best friend in the whole world. But I couldn't keep myself from burying my face in his chest. When the pizza arrived we ate it quickly before going back to watching movies. It was Friday so neither one of us had work tomorrow and I was glad because that meant I could spend more time with him. I told Danny he could spend the night if he wanted to and he said yes. I was quite happy with his answer. We chose to move to my room because it would me more comfortable if we fell asleep on the bed than on the couch again. At least that was my reasoning. A part of me said it was because it meant I could snuggle closer to Danny. He had changed into a pair of sweats that he had in his car and just pulled off his shirt. I swallowed a lump in my throat. He was far more ripped than I remembered. I averted my gaze a bit so I wouldn't be caught staring. He was currently going through my movie collection. Most of them weren't even mine or weren't even opened. People were always leaving them at my place and I never really knew what was mine and what wasn't. There were a few that I knew were for sure mine but other than that, not a clue. Danny chuckled before turning around and holding up a case. I groaned when I saw the name, A nightmare On Elm Street.

"No Danny, please. Not a horror film." He put his hands together and begged,

"Come on it's not that bad. This movie came out in 1984. It's not that scary."

"Says you!"

"Come on, you'll be with me. And I promise not to let any of the scary monsters get you." I threw a pillow at him and he laughed a bit,

"Don't make fun of me, you know I hate horror." He smirked at me,

"Please?" I thought about it before sighing,

"Alright, but only if you promise me that you won't try and scare me."

"Promise." He put the DVD in and shut the lights off before getting on the bed. He pulled me close and I pulled he covers up to my neck. He chuckled a bit. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. I mean I do have Danny with me, this is just like it used to be when he and the others made me watch horror. Nothing different. I could handle it. Right?

Wrong. I hated it. The plot was so twisted and wrong. The villain was so creepy and I found that most of the time I had my head buried in Danny's chest. I jumped at almost everything and he always squeezed my shoulder when I did. At one part it was just too much and I kept my face hidden for a while. When the screams stopped Danny whispered in my ear,

"It's gone." I wanted to shiver as his breath hit my ear but I refrained and slowly looked at the screen again. When the movie was over I was still clinging to him. Danny chuckled, "The movie's over now."

"Yeah and now I'm terrified to go to sleep. Thanks Danny." He chuckled and wrapped his arm around my waist,

"Well then I'll just have to protect you from the monsters won't I?" I felt my face heat up and looked down so my hair was hiding my face.

Danny knew she was blushing a bit and he couldn't help but smile. He had seen her blush before but he had never been the cause of it. He liked it. He liked holding her. He couldn't help himself and kissed her head before letting go and changing the movie over to a comedy because he knew she wouldn't sleep if they didn't watch something funny after the horror movie. He left the lights off and when he turned to look at her he saw that she had the blanket pulled up over her head. He couldn't stop from grinning. He crept over to her quietly and grabbed her. She screamed and he laughed. When she uncovered her head he could see that she was blushing with embarrassment,

"Danny!" She slapped his arm as he laughed,

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. You made it too easy." She crossed her arms and tried to look angry but the half smirk on her face said otherwise. He crawled back into bed and pulled her close. Half way through the movie she was asleep, and by the end of the movie so was Danny. Kyla was lying on her side while Danny had his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her close to him with his face buried in her hair.


	4. A ring, cards, and promises

The next morning I woke to find that I wasn't alone in my room. My back was pressed against Danny's chest and his arms were wrapped securely around my waist. My arm was wrapped around his and I could feel his breath on my neck and I felt myself blush. And again I found myself liking my current situation. I knew that we were friends but could we be more? I mean could he move on and could I move on as well? I was still plagued by nightmares and slight paranoia but it wasn't as bad as it used to be. I had slept through another night with no dreams and I contributed it to Danny being with me. He had kept his promise without even knowing it. He kept the monsters away. I felt him take a deep breath and looked over my shoulder slightly to see him waking up.

Danny opened his eyes to find that was holding Kyla close to him and that she was awake. He didn't know what to say. It had never been awkward before because they had fallen asleep together before. But he had never thought of her as more than a friend before either. So he said the first thing that came to mind,

"Hi." She smiled a little,

"Hi… you know you kept your promise." This grabbed his attention making him forget about the awkwardness. She rolled over and faced him,

"What promise?" She looked away from him for a moment before making eye contact with him again,

"You kept the monsters away." It took only a fraction of a second for Danny to understand what she meant. He pulled her close to him and she clung to him tightly, "It's always the same. That same room, the same man, the same voice and words." Her voice cracked a bit, "The laughing and the screams. I've started hearing them when I'm awake." Danny's heart broke for her. He knew she must have been having nightmares about it but he didn't know that it was this bad. He held her tightly,

"They're gone. They're locked away or dead. No one's left."

"I know… I'm just afraid that they might find a loop hole and then they'll be free. Danny, I'd be dead in a month." His grip tightened around her. He didn't like the thought of that or that she was thinking about it,

"Hey, they aren't getting out. And even if by chance they did, I'd never let 'em touch ya."

"You can't always be there Danny. You and I both know that. They wait until your alone and-"

"Don't. Don't go there. You can't think like that." He wasn't sure if he said more for her benefit or his. He could feel her tears hit his chest and when he pulled away a bit he saw her eyes were red and that those dark circles looked much darker than they did the other day. "Come on, what you need is a day of fresh air and good food." I chuckled as we sat up,

"First off, this is New York. How fresh do you think the air is? And to you any food is good food, including street food." He laughed as he pulled his shirt on,

"Are you saying that street food isn't good? Because I distinctly remember buying you your first New York style hot dog from a street vender, and that you still like 'em." I laughed,

"No I'm just stating a fact." We got dressed and went outside. We walked around, not really having a set place in mind. We got hot dogs like I knew we would and just walked around. And surprisingly it did help. A lot of tension just fell away. We walked by a jewelry store and normally I don't stop at jewelry stores because I'm not big into jewelry, but there was a ring that was on display that just caught my eye. I had seen it while I was in the UK. It was silver and had two hands holding a heart with a crown on it. A Claddagh ring. I smiled softly remembering when one elderly Irish couple explained its meaning to me.

Danny noticed that she had stopped and followed her eyes to where she was staring. She was staring at a ring in the window. To him it looked like a simple ring. Two hands holding a crowned heart but the look on her face told him that it meant so much more than that. He quietly asked her,

"What's it mean?" She didn't look away from the ring,

"It's a Claddagh ring. The three elements of it are said to correspond to the qualities of love which is represented by the heart, friendship is the hands, and loyalty is the crown. If the ring is on the right hand with the heart facing outward and away from the body, this indicates that the person wearing the ring is not in any serious relationship, and may in fact be single and looking for a relationship. It's like saying 'their heart is open.' When it's worn on the right hand but with the heart facing inward toward the body, this indicates the person wearing the ring is in a relationship, or that 'someone has captured their heart.' If it's worn on the left hand ring finger facing outward away from the body that generally indicates that the wearer is engaged. And when the ring is on the left hand ring finger and facing inward toward the body, it generally means that the person wearing the ring is married." Danny loved the way her eyes lit up as she told him about the ring,

"Where did you learn that?"

"An old Irish couple I had met while I was in Wales. I saw that they both wore one of these rings instead of a normal wedding band and I asked them about it. It's simple but beautiful as well. And holds so much meaning." Danny found himself smiling as I watched her. He found himself taking in every aspect of her. The way that she smiled. The red tint that her cheeks always had. The way her hair fell down her back in a waterfall of curls. And her eyes. The warm look that held and how her eyes were like an open book to him. He loved that most about her. She never hid anything from him, at least not well. She wasn't short or tall, just an average height. She wasn't skinny but she wasn't big either. She didn't look like skin and bones or like she was pudgy. She just looked healthy and normal. And of course he did notice her curves, they weren't huge but they were slightly bigger than the average woman's. But to him that didn't matter, it helped of course, but it wasn't why he was so attracted to her. It was because of the way she was. Caring and warm and yet you could have a whole conversation and not know anything about her. But not with him. He knew her like most people didn't. He knew what she liked and didn't like. What she liked to do and where she liked to go. His family knew her well also, but not like him. She told him things that she would never tell anybody else. He thought about that ring in the window and how it reminded him of her. To others she may look like a simple girl but they didn't notice the details. What each part of her meant. And how there was so much depth and meaning to her. And that though she may look simple, she was in fact beautiful.

I looked away from the ring and turned my gaze to Danny who was smiling at me,

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just… that ring is very you." I chuckled,

"Come on, we still have a lot of roaming to do." He laughed and held out his arm,

"Then please ma'm allow me to escort you through the street of our fair city." He tried to pull an English accent but failed miserably. I took his arm and laughed,

"You have the **worst **English accent I have ever heard." He laughed and shrugged,

"I'm a New Yorker. What'd you expect?" I shook my head and we continued on. We ended up stopping at my place allowing me to grab a bag and throw some clothes in it before heading over to Danny's. I was going to spend the night there and go to Sunday dinner with him and the boys the next day. Jamie and Erin came over and we had Chinese takeout. We ended up playing card games for the rest of the night. We were currently trying to play hand and foot and Erin and I were partners while Danny and Jamie were stuck together. Erin and I had just won our fifth game. Danny and Jamie were bickering about it and begging us to switch partners. Erin and I share a look before agreeing to switch partners. Danny became my new partner and Erin and Jamie were now partners. The game went on for a while until Danny messed up and we lost. And we continued to lose for the next three rounds. At the end of the fourth round I tossed my cards in,

"You are the **worst** partner for this game." Jamie laughed,

"I told you it was him." Danny scoffed,

"Hey you're the one who's lost every Go Fish game since we were kids." The two went on bickering while Erin and I went into the kitchen to get more chips and drinks.

Once the girls were out of the room and in the kitchen Jamie turned on his brother,

"So what's with you tonight?" Danny gave his brother a puzzled look,

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the looks you keep giving Kyla when you think no one's looking." Danny rubbed the back of his neck and broke eye contact with his brother. It was then that it dawned on Jamie, "You like her, don't you?" Danny groaned and ran a hand over his face,

"I don't know. I mean I know that I feel differently about her than I used to." Jamie glanced at the kitchen before looking back at his brother,

"Like how?"

"I dunno, just little stuff. I like the way her hair smells, the way her eyes are like an open book to me." Danny was spacing out as he was telling his brother all this and didn't see the smile that was growing on Jamie's face. Danny chuckled, "She looks cute when she blushes." Jamie was grinning now and let out a small laugh, catching Danny's attention, "What?"

"Danny, you're falling hard for her." Danny sighed and ran a hand over his face,

"Don't I know it kid."

"Why don't you tell her? I mean it's been three years and you deserve to be happy."

"I dunno, I guess I'm just not sure what she'll say."

"You think she'll say no?" He shrugged,

"I don't know what she'll say. And that's the part that scares me." The girls came back and a silent promise that this conversation wasn't over passed between the two men.

We played a few more games before Erin and Jamie left. It was almost twelve and I was actually rather tired. Danny told me to go on to bed and that he'd clean up. I told him thanks and thought about for a second before kissing his cheek and headed off quickly to his room and shut the door to change. I don't know why I did it, the only reason I could come up with was because I wanted to.

Danny stood there for a moment with a bowl in one hand and empty bottles in the other. His mind was still reeling from her kiss. His cheek burned from her lips and he found himself wishing that he could've just took hold of her and kissed her right then. He shook his head and finished cleaning up. He stood outside his bed room door for a long time. Half of him wanted to pretend it never happened and that I was just a friendly kiss on the cheek and nothing more. But the other half of him wanted to go in there and kiss her right on the lips. He cracked the door open a bit and sighed with relief when he found her asleep. He changed out of his clothes into a comfortable pair of boxers before crawling into bed next to her. For a long time he just stare at her as she slept. He lightly ran his hand through her hair before rolling over and falling asleep. Danny slept rather peacefully until he felt the bed shift a bit. He heard whimpering and he turned over and opened his eyes a bit. Kyla's face was contorted in anguish and she started tossing and turning. Danny's eyes flew open and he sat up quickly before trying to wake her. She started screaming and Danny began to shout,

"Kyla! Wake up!" He didn't know what else to do so he grabbed hold of her thrashing body and held her close to him. When she woke it took her a little while to figure out where she was and when she heard Danny's voice she broke down crying. He held her tightly to him as she sobbed into his chest. "It's okay baby girl, I've got ya. It's okay." When her sobs died down he asked if it was another nightmare. She nodded and he looked down at her, "Do you wanna talk about it?" She shook her head no,

"Please… just hold me." He nodded his head,

"I can do that." He held her tightly for the rest of the night. Eventually exhaustion took her and she fell asleep. But Danny still didn't let go. It was in that moment that he realized that he was never going to let go of her again. He pulled her closer if possible and he kissed her neck before he too fell asleep.


	5. Not alone anymore

I woke long before Danny but found that he had a firm grip on me so I just laid there. I thought about my dream last night and just how much it frightened me. It was different. The dream had finally changed after five years. Just when I thought I could handle that one dream it threw me a loop. And what I saw terrified me to no end. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I hadn't realized that Danny had woken up or that I was crying. I was brought out of my thoughts when I felt him brush some of my tears away. I gasped a bit and turned around some to see him giving me a concerned look. I tried to smile but I couldn't and so I looked away. He waited patiently and just held me. He was rubbing small circles on my back as I tried to compose myself.

"It changed…" My voice cracked, "The dream, it changed." His voice was soft and helped soothe my nerves,

"What happened?" I looked up into his eyes and forced the words out,

"Same room, same man. But… this time he… when the door opened and the light came in the room he pushed somebody down the stairs… they didn't move. He said the same thing he always did but at the end… he said now you have company. When he turned the body over with his foot…" I felt fresh tears well in my eyes. Danny sat up a bit and pulled me to him and held me to his chest,

"It's okay baby girl. I've got ya." I took a deep breath,

"I… I saw…" I choked on a sob and he kissed my head,

"Who did you see?" I sobbed,

"You. I saw you Danny. And… and I screamed at you to wake up… but you wouldn't wake up… you wouldn't move. And then there were the screams and the laughter." Danny held me tighter,

"It was just a dream baby girl. Just a dream." When I finally got my emotions under control I looked up at him and he gave me a small smile, "Nothin' is gonna hurt ya." I wiped my eyes,

"Do you mind if I use your shower?" He smiled at me,

"Nah go right ahead."

"Thanks Danny. For everything." I crawled out of bed and headed toward the bathroom. I let the water wash over me and wash away the dream. The only thing it didn't wash away was the feeling of Danny's touch. I may have been a mess at the time but I still felt my stomach twist and do flips. I still felt like my skin was on fire. I did my best to focus on Danny instead of my dream. I didn't want to think about that anymore.

Danny thought about what he was going to do. Linda was dropping off the boys at dad's house and he would have them for the rest of the week until he took them home next Sunday after dinner. He knew that Kyla and the boys would get along just fine and he knew that Linda wouldn't mind either because it was Kyla and she knew Kyla. Danny was thinking about what his boys would think if he were to get in a relationship with Kyla. He knew how he was feeling and he knew that it was rather sudden seeing how she had only just come back a few days ago. But he thought about how close they were. They were always texting or emailing one another while she was away. He just hadn't physically seen her in a long time. He saw her the day he called her about his divorce. She showed up at his dad's house late Sunday night. She had caught the earliest flight out of Boston just to hug him and be there for him. She called him on his anniversary and spent the rest of the night talking to him because she knew he didn't want to be alone. He thought about when he and Linda were still together and she came back for two weeks when she heard about Joe. She stayed for the viewing, the funeral, and the burial. She stayed for a whole week after that until she was sure that the family would be alright. She had also paid for Joe's casket and headstone. The funeral home called to tell the family that both were already paid for and when dad asked who it was the director merely said that it was an anonymous woman. She would never admit it but Frank, Henry, and Danny knew that it was her.

He had seen her at Jamie's graduation from the academy. He called her when it came time to take down the Blue Templar and at the last minute she made it. She had, again, flown in from Mexico and showed up just before they left the house to take them down. Jackie wouldn't have remembered her because she didn't say anything to anyone except for Jamie, Frank, and Danny. She had laid into each man that she arrested bashing them up in the process. He knew she wanted to kill each and every one of them because quite frankly so did he. And once it was all over she slipped out and left but not without leaving a single white rose on Joe's grave. Danny knew that he had always thought she looked pretty but he never really thought anything else about it. He realized that it had all caught up to him now. That he had always liked her, he just didn't realize it. And when he fell in love with Linda his feelings for Kyla weren't even there. But when Linda was gone he found that he had missed his friend more than he realized. And now he realized that it wasn't just that he was lonely and missed having company. He missed her. He missed his baby girl. He smiled at the nickname he'd given her when they were younger. He hadn't used it in a long time. He liked the way it rolled off his tongue.

When I shut the water off and I got out and wrapped the towel around me my eyes widened in horror. I had left my bag on the counter in Danny's kitchen. I groaned, I knew what I was going to have to do and I only prayed that Danny was still in the bed room. I cracked the door open just a bit and peered out of it before sticking my head out the door. There was no sign of him. Quickly I made my way to the kitchen and grabbed my bag.

"Hey Kyla do you-" My eyes widened as I whipped around at the sound of his voice. He was still and his eyes were wide and his mouth hung open. I blushed profusely and bit my lip,

"I forgot my bag." He cleared his throat,

"Um, okay. Uh, I'm just… I'm gonna go back to room." I nodded and waited until I heard the door shut before running back to the bathroom. I shut the door and slid to the ground. That was horrible. I felt so embarrassed.

Danny had his back pressed against the door. He was trying very hard to shake the image of Kyla in a towel from his head but he couldn't. That was the last thing he had been expecting when he walked into the kitchen. When he saw her standing there with only a towel wrapped around her, her hair dripping wet he lost the ability to speak. And when she blushed a deep red and bit her lip his mouth went dry and rationality almost left him completely. It took all of his will power to force himself to go back to his room and stay in his room. He let out a breath and quickly got dressed and splashed some cold water on his face. He needed to talk to Jamie or his dad and soon.

I had gotten dressed quickly and when I went out into the living room I found Danny waiting for me. We both blushed before he cleared his throat,

"Sorry about that."

"It's, ah, it's okay. I should've remembered to get my bag."

"Right, so, ah, you ready to go?" I nodded my head and we headed out. The awkwardness eventually left and we were joking and laughing again. When we arrived at the Reagan home Danny was immediately bombarded by two boys.

"Dad!" I smiled as Danny hugged his boys to him. Jack and Sean had gotten big since I had last seen them.

He pulled back and kissed each of them before turning to look at Kyla motioning for her to come over. She did and Danny looked at his boys,

"Jack, Sean this is Kyla. Do you remember Kyla? You guys used to call her aunt Ky." Jack and Sean looked at her and grinned,

"Ky!" They tackled her into a hug and she laughed. She hugged them back and Danny couldn't help but smile as they drug her off into the other room. He stood and watched her with them in the living room. He loved seeing her with them. She was a natural with them. And they loved her. She was always the one that they wanted for a baby sitter when they were younger. They knew she wasn't her real aunt but they saw her so much that it just stuck. Danny wanted this. Him, the boys, and Kyla. He wanted to see this every day. He was pulled out of his thoughts when Jamie tapped him on his shoulder. He looked at his younger brother who chuckled and whispered,

"You're staring." Danny shook his head with a smile and the two went into their dad's study to talk. "Alright, so back to our conversation last night. You're afraid that she'll say no if you ask her out."

"I just don't want to ruin our friendship I guess. I know it sounds so high school but… " Jamie nodded his head. He understood what he meant. He'd rather have her as a friend than try and lose her.

"Danny, how much do you love her?" Danny gave his brother a confused look so Jamie elaborated, "You trust her with your kids right?"

"Yeah."

"You tell each other everything so you must trust her with your heart." Danny nodded, "Do you trust her with your life? To take a bullet for you or to cover your back?"

"Yeah, kid, what does this have to do with how I feel?"

"Danny, if you trust her with all of that then I'm pretty sure the same can be said about her. She trusts you with her family, with her heart, and her life. You don't just give somebody that much power over you without there being some kind of connection."

"Okay, I see your point but-"

"Danny, you and I both know that she still suffers from nightmares and I know that she doesn't talk to anybody about them except for you. You know why?" Danny shook his head, "Because she's okay with being vulnerable in front of you. She's okay with letting you see her broken and afraid. Nobody else sees that except for you. She does feel for you." Danny thought about what his brother said. She did let him see a side of her that nobody else saw. Danny sighed and slumped in his seat. He ran a hand over his face,

"Kid, how do you know that's love? How do you know that isn't just an immense amount of trust because we're friends?" Jamie gave Danny a look that said you really think that? Danny sighed, "Okay, okay. Suppose I did ask her out, and suppose she said yes. What would I do, with the family and her family?" Jamie laughed,

"Danny, our family loves her. You know your boys love her. If you're worried about Linda-"

"I know Linda likes her."

"Exactly, so you don't have to worry about her. And as far as her family goes the only people that really matter is her cousin Lauren and her husband Jacob. And you know they like you. Danny, stop psyching yourself out. You deserve someone who makes you happy and who you make happy. And Kyla's it."

"Jamie's right son." Jamie and Danny turned to the doorway to see Frank standing there,

"Dad-"

"Kyla's a good woman. She cares about you and your family. She understands the job and she understands you." Danny chuckled,

"You mean she can handle me." Frank smirked at his son,

"She can handle that temper of yours. Besides, you two are both broken people and you've found comfort and healing in each other before. You two can withstand the tests that all relationships face." Frank clapped his oldest son on the shoulder, "You shouldn't be alone son. And neither should she." Henry came into the room and announced that dinner was ready. They all gathered around the table. Kyla was on the opposite side of the table with Nicky on her left and Jack and Sean on her right. Danny, Jamie, and Erin sat across from them. The conversation was pleasant and mainly consisted of the kids asking Kyla questions. Nicky asked her if she was seeing anyone and Danny's mind went blank. Erin scolded her but Kyla laughed and said it was fine,

"No, I'm not seeing anyone." Danny relaxed and Jamie couldn't hide the smirk on his face. "I did get a marriage proposition though while I was in Mexico." Danny choked on his food,

"You never told me about that?" She chuckled and smiled,

"Well he was an annoying coworker who was cocky and I didn't give him the time of day. But he wouldn't leave me alone. And then just out of the blue one day he asked me to marry him." Nicky laughed,

"What did you say?"

"I told him I was seeing somebody."

"Were you?" Kyla laughed,

"No, I just didn't quite have the heart to flat out tell him no because he was so serious when he asked me."

"Did he believe you?"

"At first he didn't. He wanted proof that I was seeing somebody else. A picture or a text." Nicky was loving this and Danny was trying to breathe after he choked on his food.

"So what happened?" She blushed just a bit, not enough for anyone to really notice but Danny caught it,

"I, ah, I pulled out the picture of Danny and I at Christmas a couple years ago." Jamie laughed,

"The one with you on his back?" She blushed a little more and nodded,

"Yeah, that one. Anyway, he believed me and after that he left me alone." Danny cleared his throat a bit,

"And how come this is the first time I'm hearing this?" She gave him a sad smile,

"Because something more important came up and I forgot about it." The family nodded in understanding. She was talking about catching Joe's murders. Sean didn't realize the seriousness of the moment and asked,

"So are you and dad dating then?" Laughter broke out around the table as Kyla blushed furiously and Danny choked again,

"Sean!" He shrugged at him and looked at his brother,

"Well are they?" Jack chuckled at his brother,

"No, she just said that to get this guy to leave her alone." Then Jack turned to her, "Not that we'd mind if you were." She blushed and so did Danny while the family just laughed. After dinner the family went into the living room while Kyla and Danny volunteered to clear the table. Jamie smirked at his brother as he left the room.

I felt my heart beat a million miles an hour as Danny and I were the only ones in the room. I couldn't believe what his boys had said. Don't get me wrong I liked the fact that Sean assumed we were dating and that Jack said they'd be okay with it if we were but it front of everybody, including Danny, I'm surprised I didn't look a lobster with the way I was blushing. I picked up a big salad bowel and a serving plate before heading toward the kitchen. Danny was coming out as I was going in and we almost ran into each other. He quickly took hold of me though and kept me from falling. He held me close and we just stared at each other for a long time. He took the plate and the bowel and set them on the table. My heart was ready to leap out of my chest as he leaned closer. His lips just brushed mine when we heard a shout from the other room,

"Dad!" He sighed and chuckled,

"I'll be right back." I nodded and tried not shudder at the sound of his voice. He moved passed me and I was still stuck in the same spot in shock. Danny was about to kiss me! "You know what…" I felt him take hold of my arm and turn me around before pressing his lips against mine. All thought went out the door as my eyes slid shut. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he wrapped his arms around my waist. He kissed me sweetly and I couldn't help but smile into the kiss.

"Dad! Jack isn't sharing!" He pulled away and chuckled,

"I'll be back." He kissed me softly before leaving the room. I was still as I tried to collect my head again. My skin burned from his touch and my lips felt as though they were going to be blistered. My whole body was tingling. And I liked it. I felt a smile cross my face. Danny kissed me. He kissed me, and I kissed him back. When he came back into the room I smiled at him before crossing the room and wrapping my arms around his neck. He smiled at me and took hold of my hips, "So about what you said, that guy from Mexico. What's his name?" I chuckled,

"Why?"

"Oh, nothing. Just wanna talk to him. Let him know if he hits on my girl again he'll lose a few teeth." I chuckled,

"You would." I kissed him and I felt him smile as he kissed me back. It was nice just having him hold me and kiss me. He wasn't forcing me or trying to get something from me. He was just loving me. Eventually we **did** get the dishes done and the extra food put away.

Danny was extremely happy. He loved the feeling he got when he kissed her and held her. He also loved the fact that she liked it too. When they entered the living room he and his younger brother shared a look. Jamie grinned at him and Danny just shook his head with a smile. Frank watched the exchange between his sons and simply smiled. He was happy for Danny. He had been hurting and was having a hard time moving on. For a while Frank wondered if his oldest son would ever be able to find happiness again. Now he knew that Danny would be alright. Because he had someone who really understood him.

The rest of the night passed by with no problems. They laughed and talked and when it was time to leave Danny, Kyla, and the boys got into the car. Danny told the boys that he had to take Kyla home first and Sean asked why she couldn't just spend the night with them. It took what little bit of rationality Danny had to not just agree with his son and take her home with them. Thankfully Kyla had stepped in and explained that she needed to go to her own home tonight. Jack asked if they would see her at all while they were at their dad's. Kyla smiled at them,

"Only if your dad says it's okay." He shot her a look and she simply grinned at him,

"Of course it's okay. Ain't that right boys?" They agreed vigorously. Sean grinned,

"Will you tell us about your adventures?" Danny gave her a questioning glance and she elaborated,

"I was telling them about my trip to Wales." He nodded, "Of course I will Sean." When they pulled up to her flat she gave each the boys a hug before Danny walked her to the door. He wanted to spend hours just kissing her good night but knew that he shouldn't. Not in front of his boys. Not yet, at least until he talked to them. He stood close to her as she unlocked her door,

"I really want to kiss you right now." She chuckled and glanced behind him at the car before quickly kissing him on the cheek,

"Night Danny." He growled playfully at her,

"You're terrible." She walked in her door and smiled and waved to the boys before shutting the door. Danny had a small smile on his face as he went back to his car. Jack and Sean were talking about all that Kyla had told them and when they got home he tucked them both in and they fell asleep quickly. Danny planned on talking to them tomorrow morning before he took them to school. He wanted to know what they thought about it. He knew that they said it was okay at dinner but he just wanted to be sure. Danny fell asleep that night with a smile on his face and warm feeling in his heart. He wouldn't be alone anymore. Not when he had Kyla.


	6. Past memories

The next morning Danny woke up and got ready before waking the boys. He made breakfast while they got ready. When both boys were at the table and he placed pancakes in front of both of them he began to approach the subject of him dating again.

"So Jack, Sean I have something I wanna ask you." The two nodded but kept eating,

"Okay." Danny took a deep breath,

"How do you boys feel about me, well, about me dating again?" The two slowed down a bit and shared a look and Sean gave him a slightly confused look,

"Like girls?" Danny chuckled as Jack gave his brother a look,

"Who else would he date Sean?" he shrugged,

"Kyla?" Danny's heart stopped as Jack rolled his eyes,

"Kyla **is** a girl Sean."

"I know but I meant like **other** girls." Jack shook his head before looking back at Danny,

"We're fine with it dad. Mom's got a boyfriend and we're used to him." Sean nodded his head,

"As long as she's cool and likes to play with us." Jack shook his head,

"And makes you happy. Because we want you to be happy as well dad." Danny smiled at his boys,

"Thanks boys." Jack smiled and Sean piped up,

"So do you have a girlfriend dad?" Danny laughed at his son's forwardness,

"Well that's why I wanted to talk to you guys first. I wanted to know what you thought." Jack looked at him,

"When do we get to meet her?" Danny smiled,

"You already have." Jack and Sean shared a look of confusion before turning to their dad,

"We have?"

"Who?" He smiled at them,

"Kyla." The two boy's eyes widened a bit before grins broke out on their faces. The jumped up and ran to the other side of the table to hug him.

"That's great dad!"

"Yeah! We love Kyla!" He laughed as he hugged them,

"Well I'm glad you approve." Danny grinned before looking at his watch, "Oh! We gotta go before you guys are late." They gathered their stuff and headed out. Danny stopped by the school and gave both boys a kiss before they got out of the car,

"Tell Kyla we said hi!"

"I will, do well in school!" He drove off to work and smiled when he saw who was sitting at his desk. She had her back to him with headphones in her ears. Jackie was no where in sight and no one was really awake enough to pay attention so he reached down and pulled out one of her ear buds before kissing her on the cheek, "Good morning."

I laughed and looked at Danny who was grinning at me,

"Morning."

"The boys wanted me to tell you that they said hello." I smiled, "I also asked them what they thought about me dating again and what they thought about you and I being together." He sat down on the edge of the desk facing me,

"What did they say?" He grinned,

"They approve. In fact when I first asked them Sean thought of you first." I grinned, "They said they wanted me to be happy and they like you a lot."

"Well I'm glad. Because I really like them as well." He grinned before leaning down and kissing me again. When he pulled away I laughed a bit,

"I haven't told Lauren yet. You know she'll want us to come over for dinner." He chuckled,

"I figured. What about your parents?" I shrugged,

"Last I heard they were in Peru. I don't even try to keep track of them any more." Danny nodded. He knew that my parents and I had little contact with one another. It wasn't that we didn't love each other. They just had higher priorities than raising a child. They had spent most of their time traveling the world and going on safari's and mountain climbing trips. I had gone on a few when I was a kid but I had grown up with my grandparents here in New York. My parents didn't want to raise a child and my grandparents were more than willing to. My grandparents and my parents were both very wealthy people. My grandfather started a major shipping company and passed it on to my father who still owns it but has someone else handling all of his business. So when my grandparents passed away they left me as the sole owner of all their fortune. My parents didn't care so much because they were always off in another country and had enough money of their own. I was born into wealth but I wasn't raised in it. My grandparents made sure I worked for my money. Made me get a job when I was in high school and they paid for college but I worked to pay them back and after three years I was able to pay them back everything. My cousin Laruen was from my mother's side of the family and she was the only one from my mother's side that I had any contact with. Lauren was like the black sheep of the family because she didn't follow the family business. Instead of being a lawyer she wanted to be a photographer after she left the air force. We were close so when her family disowned her she lived with me until she could stand on her own feet again.

I had no idea what to do with the money because I lived off of my own income, so I did what I thought was best. I made a yearly donation to three different charities and to two different hospitals. And then I used it for things like paying for that boys operation, which he was having done in two weeks, and paying for Joe's casket and headstone. I knew that Danny and Frank knew but I wouldn't admit to it. I did it because Joe was my friend and he was like family to me.

Danny smiled at me before taking hold of my hand,

"Your grandpa would be proud of you." I smiled at him,

"You know, he used to say that if I was ever going to marry somebody that he wanted it to be a Reagan boy? Or that you boys had to approve of him. He really liked you and your family." He smiled,

"You, your grandparents, and Lauren were always welcome in our house." I chuckled,

"My odd family." He laughed,

"Hey family's family." He pulled me up and I was standing in front of him,

"Yeah and now you're going to be stuck eating dinner with mine." He laughed,

"So will you. Every Sunday." He grinned at me before taking hold of my chin and kissing me. My eyes shut and I smiled as I kissed him back. When I pulled away I grinned before pushing him a bit,

"**You** are gonna get us in trouble." He chuckled,

"I thought you liked trouble?" I walked over and grabbed a chair before sitting it beside Danny's,

"Yeah, and that's why I'm dating you. Because you're a magnet for it." He clutched his heart as he sat down,

"That hurt baby girl." I laughed,

"What hurt? This?" Jackie smacked him upside the head,

"Hey! What was that for?" She walked over and sat down at her desk and shrugged,

"I haven't hit ya in a while. You were over due." I laughed,

"Hey Jack." She smiled at me,

"Hey Kyla. So what hurt?" I nodded my head at him,

"I told him he was a magnet for trouble." She laughed,

"Yeah you are." He glared at her,

"Thanks Jack." She grinned at him,

"No problem. What are partners for?" We actually got a case today, it may have been your every day run of the miss case but it was still a case. A drug dealer was caught with a pound of heroine and got out on parole due to the fact that he was willing to give up his suppliers. He didn't call his parole officer and hadn't been seen for a week. He shows up on camera at a park where he deals. So we were gonna go pick him up. Simple right?

I was glad I wore jeans and Lauren's old combat boots because I was stuck running after this stupid guy. Some cop in a uniform spooked him as we got close and Danny and I were chasing him while Jack followed after him in a car calling out directions in her walkie-talkie. I was faster than Danny so I was further ahead of him. I was just behind the suspect as he rounded a corner. When I came around the corner I didn't know what hit me until I landed flat on my back. My nose hurt like heck. My eyes watered as I stood up and picked up what he hit me with. It was a metal pipe. My nose was bleeding profusely as I chased after him again. I was angry now. I picked up my pace and caught up with him quickly when I was close enough I swung at him with the pipe and hit him in the back hard enough to send him to the ground.

"Hands above your head! Now!" I dug my knee into his back as I held him. I reached for my cuffs but found that they weren't there. I cursed, they must have fallen out when he hit me. I could hear Jack in the car and she wasn't far away. He squirmed a bit and took him and slammed his face into the pavement. "Move again and I'll take that pipe to your head." He stopped moving and Danny was by my side in moments,

"Need these?" He held my cuffs in front my face and I took them before cuffing him and hauling him up just as Jack arrived. She got out and ran towards us,

"Oh my God, Kyla are you okay?" Danny's head snapped towards me.

When he looked at Kyla his eyes widened. He hadn't notice her bleeding nose until now. It was flowing like a river,

"What happened?" Danny was getting angry. She waved her hand at the suspect,

"Moron here took a cheap shot at me with a pipe." Danny's eyes darkened as he slammed the guy face first into the car,

"Assault on an officer, that's a major offense. You'll love the jail time for that one." Jack pulled Danny off of him before shoving him in the car. She shot Danny a look before pointing at Kyla,

"You go take care of her, I'll read the scumbag his rights." Danny walked over to Kyla who was holding her outer shirt to her nose. She had on a light blue button up with a white tank top on underneath. Danny gently pulled her hand away,

"Let me take a look." She winced when he touched it,

"It's probably broken." She swore,

"Isn't that just lovely." She held the shirt up to her nose again, "This was one of my favorite shirts too." He chuckled,

"He's lucky I didn't put his head through the car window." She chuckled,

"I hit him in the back with the pipe." He laughed,

"You take after me, I'm proud." She smiled as Jack joined them,

"You alright?" She shrugged,

"Pretty sure I have a broken nose."

"Should we take ya to the hospital?" She shook her head,

"Nah, I'll be fine. It'll stop soon." She shook her head,

"I take it this isn't your first broken nose?" She laughed,

"No, ask Danny here how I got my first out of three broken noses." Jack looked at Danny with a shocked look. He threw his hands up in surrender,

"I was sixteen and Joe and I were teaching her how to play football." Jack laughed,

"And?"

"And I may have accidently elbowed her in the face." Jack laughed,

"You elbowed her in the face!" I chuckled,

"Yeah, then Joe broke my nose trying teach my baseball. Threw the ball and his me square in the nose." She laughed harder,

"And the last time?"

"When my cousin joined the air force she was teaching me a few moves before she did a roundhouse kick and caught me in the face." Jackie was crying now she was laughing so hard, "Laugh it up Jack."

"I'm sorry but, that's really funny." Danny shook his head with a smile,

"Come on lets go. The sooner we get through with him the sooner we can all go home." We grabbed the pipe and put it in an evidence bag before heading off for the station. My nose was still bleeding so Danny and Jack interrogated him while I sat at Danny's desk. The phone rang and I picked it up,

"Danny Reagan's desk, detective Kyla Williams here."

"Hey Kyla, it's Jamie."

"Hey Jamie what's up?"

"Sarge and I have a suspect here who's asking for Danny Reagan. Says he's got information on the Carmella family." I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat,

"Who is this guy?"

"Says his name is Ricky but his ID says he's Dan Cain." My eyes widened,

"Where are you?"

"Just down the street from your precinct by the coffee shop."

"I'm coming."

"No, Kyla. You know you shouldn't get involved with this."

"Jamie, I'm coming. I'll leave a note for Danny but I want to talk to this guy."

"Kyla-"

"Jamie I know him." He paused, "He's the one who introduced me to the Carmella's." He sighed,

"Alright, but make sure you let Danny know."

"I will." I left a note for Danny on his desk and left my bloody shirt there as well. It had slowed down and was just trickling a little. My tank had blood stains on them and my nose was black and blue and my mouth was red from the blood. I looked a hot mess but I didn't care. I stuck my gun in my waist band and grabbed my shield.

I met Jamie and his Sarge in a side alley where they had "Ricky" pressed against a car. When he saw me he started squirming,

"Oh not her! Not her!" I reached him quickly and took hold of him by the shirt. He cringed before trying to smile, "H-hi Lauren." I narrowed my eyes at him,

"Ricky, or should I call you Dan?" I slammed him against the car,

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't know-"

"Shut up! You said he had something on the Carmella family. What is it?"

"I-I was told to tell-"

"Danny, I know. Now tell me, or would you prefer I called Tina and told her about your run in with the police again. Didn't she say she'd leave you if you went to jail again?" he stumbled over his words,

"T-the Carmella family, th-they all went to jail or died right?"

"Your point?"

"W-well one of them's got a lawyer. Big time guy comin' in form New Orleans. Th-this guy's supposed to be able to get anybody off. And Jared, you remember Jared, well he ain't really dead. You see-" I grabbed his face and made him look at me,

"What?"

"J-Jared. He ain't dead."

"Rossco pumped three bullets into him. I saw him kill Jared." He shook his head,

"Blanks, they planned it. They knew there was a cop with 'em and they wanted Jared out of the picture. To lay low and wait until they needed him again."

"And that time's now is it? Where is he?"

"I dunno! I was just given the message and told to deliver it!"

"By who?"

"Who do you think?"

"Say it!"

"Marcus! Marcus Carmella!"

"Why Danny?"

"Because he was the one who caught me last time. And I was told that he'd get in touch with you."

"Why not me directly?"

"Because I was afraid you'd kill me!" I felt someone pull me off of him and found Jamie was holding onto me. Before I could question why somebody beat me to it,

"And what makes you think I wouldn't?" Danny grabbed the guy by the collar and hoisted him up in the air. Fear was evident in Ricky's face.

"Please, I-I was just supposed to deliver the message! I didn't have nothin' to do with what happened to her!" He looked at me, desperate to get away from the angry man that held him, "Lauren tell him-" Danny slammed him against the car,

"Her name's Kyla! Not like you could ever remember that. And you look at me, not her."

"Please, Danny, I swear I had nothin' to do with it! If I had known that they were gonna torture her I would've told somebody I swear! I ain't the killin' type!"

"Nah, you're the runnin' away kind. So what's Marcus got that he thinks can get him out?"

"I don't know, man they don't tell me that kind of stuff." Danny grabbed him by the throat,

"Really? Well you better think really hard before you pass out."

"Okay! Okay! Supposedly he's got a witness!"

"Witness for what?"

"H-he says that t-the undercover officers attacked his daughter. A-and that he was just retaliating. A-and that they took her and he was just holdin them to find her."

"He doesn't have a daughter. And what makes you think that's gonna make it in court?"

"This is Marcus Carmella. He can do anything. Jared's supposed to be bringin' 'em in."

"Who?"

"His daughter." Danny grabbed him by the throat again,

"He doesn't have a daughter."

"She's supposedly her mom took her when she was a baby and the officers found her and tried to use her as leverage against him." Danny slammed him against the car again,

"There is no daughter!"

"I know that and so do you but you ain't got any proof!"

"And I suppose he does?" He nodded,

"What do you think the lawyer's for?" Danny threw him to Jamie's Sarge.

"Take him to a holding cell. Let him rot there for a while." Jamie let go of me and both Reagan men stared at me uneasily,

"Kyla?" I looked at Danny and felt all of my energy leave me. I was angry and running on adrenaline but now. Now I was just tired but most of all I felt afraid. Not so much for me but for my friends and family. Because that's how Marcus Carmella worked. He hit you through the people you loved. Danny pulled me to him and I held him tightly. He kissed my head, "It'll be okay baby girl. He won't get out. It won't even make it to court." It was a vain hope but that was all I had at the moment. Vain hope and people to protect.


	7. Tears and laughter go hand in hand

To say I was frightened would be an understatement. I was terrified. I was terrified because now I had a lot more to lose. I had my cousin and her family, I had the Reagan family, but most of all I had Danny and his boys. And I couldn't put any of them in danger. And yet that's exactly what I've done. Danny kept telling me to stop worrying and that there was no way it was gonna fly in court, but a part of me still thought that it was possible. This was the Carmella family we were talking about. They worked very closely with the Sanfino family and we're just as vindictive. They'd go after the people you love and care about before coming after you. They'd want you to hurt. And I was right when I'd said I wouldn't last a month. They'd manage to hurt everyone I love before finishing me off and it'd all be done in less than a month. Jamie called his dad to let him know what happened and Frank ordered that Marcus be put in a cell by himself with a 24 hour guard with no visitors until they had the situation handled. A bolo was put out on Jared and every cop in the city was looking for him. Jamie and Danny both insisted that I stay with somebody but I said no. It wasn't until Frank ordered me to stay with somebody that I did. Danny and Jamie thought I should stay with Danny but I said no. I didn't want to put the boys at risk. So Jamie offered to let me stay with him. I agreed to it seeing how it was Jamie or Frank's house, and I found it easier to impose on Jamie than on Frank and Henry.

I followed Jamie to his apartment which was not that far from Danny's. When we got inside we ordered more Chinese take out and I changed into a pair of sweats and a tank top after washing my face off. Jamie and I just relaxed on his couch while we waited. He chuckled and I raised an eyebrow at him,

"What are you chuckling about?"

"You. I thought you were gonna rip that Ricky guy to shreds." I chuckled,

"Yeah, well Ricky's the only one I could push around. The rest of 'em ain't pushovers. Knock 'em over with a bullet, that'll get their attention." I groaned a bit and ran a hand over my face, "This is stupid." Jamie furrowed his brow,

"What do you mean?"

"I mean **this**," I waved my hands around and gestured at him, "the armed guard, staying in a different place. I shouldn't be here."

"Kyla-"

"No, Jamie. All I'm doing is putting you and your family in danger. I've already put Lauren and her family in danger just by being related to them. I should just stay away… and then maybe, just maybe…they'll leave you alone." I sighed and leaned back against the couch,

"Kyla, you know that wouldn't work. Our family can take it and so can yours. We've all faced this kind of thing before. Remember I did go undercover with the Sanfino's. Besides, Danny wouldn't let you." I chuckled,

"You think I couldn't get away from Danny?" He snorted,

"No. He's crazy about you. You'd get, what, a couple miles? Before he'd locate you and throw you in the back of a police cruiser before locking you in an interrogation room."

"I dunno, I think I could make it." He rolled his eyes with a smirk,

"Yeah, sure. Besides, you wouldn't want to leave. You love him too much to leave." I blushed a bit,

"He told you?" Jamie grinned,

"Didn't have to. I could see it plain as day on his face." I chuckled and he shrugged, "He** is **my brother." I shook my head with a smile,

"Does the rest of the family know?"

"Nah, just me and dad. Erin and grandpa don't know." I shook my head,

"It's not like we're really trying to keep it secret from them, it's more like how long does it take until you notice sort of thing." He laughed, "We're sort of doing that at work. Mostly I think because Danny thinks I'll get put with another detective." Jamie laughed,

"That's probably it. He'd hate that." I laughed,

"Yeah he would." There was a knock and Jamie and I shared a look. I knew the drill. I got up and went to stand against the wall next to the TV. Jamie went to the door and looked out the hole while he took his gun out.

"Sit the bag on the ground and step back with your hands in the air." I held my breath as Jamie opened the door, "Can I see some ID?" I could see Jamie looking at the ID, "Okay now can you open the bag, slowly." A few minutes later Jamie paid the guy and let him go.

"I'm afraid of the delivery boy being mobsters. God help me." Jamie chuckled,

"Just means you're cautious." I shot him a look,

"Yeah, it's called paranoia. And I've been told it isn't healthy." He grabbed a water bottle and chucked it at me. I caught it and he chuckled,

"A little paranoia keeps on your toes. Makes you aware." He sat down beside me and handed me some chopsticks,

"And too much makes you a case for the psych ward. And trust me you don't wanna go there." He gave me a smirk,

"How long were you there again?" I gave him a playful shove,

"Six weeks. I've been told I was on a suicide watch, never knew about that one, and that I even had a therapist to help me with my paranoia. After I was out of there they told me I had to meet with a therapist every three weeks to talk about my dreams. I'll give 'em the paranoia one, they did help me with that some. But the suicidal thing was bull. They didn't do anything to help that nor did they help with the dreams. I got more help on my own or with your family." He chuckled,

"I remember. You used to stay over at my dad's place a lot after everybody left." I nodded,

"He helped me a lot." He chuckled as he took a big bite of noodles,

"So did Danny." I laughed,

"And there you go, turning the conversation back to me and Danny." He grinned,

"What? I'm just happy for you. Both of you. You deserve each other." I scoffed at him,

"Is that an insult or a compliment?" He pretended to think about it,

"Both." I laughed, knowing that it was a joke, and pushed him a bit. "But seriously, you two are good for each other."

"So it's not weird for you that I'm eight years younger than him and that I'm older than you by a few years?" He shook his head,

"Nah, that doesn't matter. I mean I've got no problem with it and I know that my family won't care about the age thing either. We know who you are and that's all that matters." I smiled at him,

"Thanks Jamie, that means a lot." He grinned,

"So, Danny told me that you guys watched A Nightmare on Elm Street." I groaned,

"It was the worst!" he laughed,

"Seriously? It was made in-"

"I know, it's an old movie but it still scared me." He shook his head,

"You're a cop. You've been undercover with mobsters and drug lords. You've even been to my family's get-togethers and you **still** come back. And you're afraid of horror movies?" I shrugged,

"Yeah, I am. And I can still beat you up so shut it." He laughed,

"Hey I'm older and stronger now, I can take you." I chuckled,

"Three dead legs and you'll be done." He chuckled,

"Danny **never** should've taught you that. You were almost as bad as him when it came to those." I grinned,

"I had to! I was a young girl, I needed to have something to help me hold my own against you guys." He laughed,

"You used it in almost every fight we had! It became your weapon of choice every time!" We laughed,

"Okay, maybe I was a bit overzealous with handing out dead legs, but I learned it from Danny so you can't give me too much grief. I learned from him." He chuckled,

"Yeah, and **he **murdered Joe and I with it." We finished off our food before we both headed off to bed. I lied in bed for a long time, just staring at the ceiling. I couldn't sleep. I had too much on my mind. What should I do? Should I confront Marcus? Do I fight him in court? Do I fight off his goons? Or do I run, and hope that they follow me and leave my family and friends alone? I sighed, I didn't want to think about all these questions. Thankfully my phone rang. I snatched up quickly and looked at the caller ID and smiled,

"Hey Danny." He chuckled,

"Hey, how you doing?"

"Alright, I've got a lot of things running through my mind but… yeah."

"It'll be alright. We'll make it through this. Even if by some chance he makes it out, we'll find a way to put him back in." I swallowed hard,

"Danny… I don't want to go through all this again, especially not when I have so much to lose now. There's so much he can use against me now. He knows I'm close to your family, he knows about my cousin, and he probably knows about you. I'm not risking all of you when I could just face him and-"

"No, don't you even finish that sentence. You are not going up against this guy alone. I won't let you."

"But Danny-"

"No, baby girl, I'm not willing to let you risk yourself on the off chance that he decides to leave the rest of us alone. We won't let you do that. We can handle it. You know that. I… I can't lose you… not when I just got you back. Not when I can protect you." I felt my heart break. He was being so sweet, but he just didn't get it. This wouldn't end unless I ended it.

"Danny… I couldn't live with myself if something happened to any of you. I just couldn't."

"And I wouldn't live with myself if something happened to you and I could've protected you… Kyla, baby girl, I love you." I felt tears rolling down my face. That was the one thing that I didn't want to hear, not because I didn't love him. But because it made it all that much harder to try and leave him to protect him,

"Danny…"

"Baby girl, I can't lose you. I just can't. You mean too much to me. I can't stand the thought of losing you. It makes me sick just thinking about it."

"Please… Danny, don't. I don't want to break your heart if something happens to me. You've already been hurt and I don't want to cause you any more pain."

"Kyla, my heart already belongs to you. I only love you, and I'm willing to go through all the pain and hurt of what's to come so long as I'm facing it with you." Tears were pouring down my cheeks now,

"I love you Danny… I love you." I knew he was smiling on the other end of the line,

"You don't have to face any of this alone. Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Then trust me when I say we'll make it through this together." I bit my lip,

"Okay."

"I'm gonna pick you up tomorrow morning okay?"

"Danny I can drive myself you know." He chuckled a bit,

"I'll bring the boys with me." I actually laughed and smiled despite my tears,

"Okay, I'll be waiting." He laughed,

"Sounds good."

"Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"Good night. I love you." Again I knew he was smiling,

"I love you too." I hung up the phone and I felt a little better after my talk with Danny. Maybe we could make it through this together. And with that thought I drifted off to sleep. The next morning I woke up showered and changed. I looked at my nose and sighed. It was black, blue, and red. It looked angry. Thankfully I had experience in broken noses so I wasn't terribly bothered by it. Mind you it hurt like heck to touch and when I sneezed it brought tears to my eyes but I was used to it. Broken nose is better than broken ribs I say. When I went out into the kitchen I found Jamie with two bowels of cereal. I grinned,

"Not into cooking this early in the morning?" He laughed as he handed me a bowel of cheerios,

"Hey at least I **can** cook breakfast." I took a bite before pointing my spoon at him,

"Point taken. If it can't be heated up in a microwave or a stove then forget it."

"Oh so you can use the stove now too? I glared at him but the smile on my face said I wasn't too offended,

"Yeah Mr. Harvard I can use a stove. Just don't ask me to cook on it. Throwing a pizza that's already made into the oven is one thing. Makin' it from scratch is another." He chuckled,

"Maybe Nicky could teach you."

"That's low. Telling me to take cooking lessons from teenager." He shrugged,

"I could've said Jack or Sean but-" I slapped his arm with a laugh,

"Shut up Jamie." We quickly finished off our cereal before there was a knock on the door. Jamie grabbed his gun and looked out the peep hole,

"It's Danny." He opened the door and Danny smiled,

"Hey kid, you can put that away. It's just me." Jamie chuckled as he put his gun away,

"What are you doing here?" He nodded at me,

"Takin' Kyla to work." Jamie looked at me and I shrugged,

"I forgot to tell you. You distracted me by reminding me of how terrible of a cook I am." Danny laughed,

"You didn't try and cook, did you?"

"No, but we had cereal and I made a joke about him not being in the mood for cooking. And he then reminded me of the fact that I can't cook." Danny laughed,

"Well you can't. Now come on, the boys wanna see you before they have to be at school." I grinned,

"See you later Jamie!"

"See ya!" Before we got to the car the boys hopped out and charged at me. I laughed as I was hit full force by Jack and Sean. I would've been knocked over if Danny hadn't been standing behind me. He chuckled at us.

"Hi guys!"

"When dad told us we were picking you up on the way to school we hurried because we wanted to spend more time with you!" Jack was grinning.

"Yeah, we also wanted to know if you were coming over tonight. Because dad is making tacos and you have to finish your story too!" Danny laughed,

"Sean, you have to ask politely."

"Oh, sorry dad. Kyla, will you **please** come over tonight?" I chuckled and looked at Danny who shrugged,

"It's okay with me." Jack laughed before leaning in and whispering,

"He's more than okay with it." I laughed really hard. These kids knew their dad too well and we're more than willing to say so. Danny and Sean looked at us,

"What?" Jack and I shared a look,

"Nothing. And yes, I would love to join you guys for dinner and finish my story." Both boys cheered as we all got in the car. The whole way to their school they told me about what they were doing in school and how they were having a parent day in a couple months where students brought their parents with them to school and talked about them. Then the parents talk about their jobs and answer questions. Apparently Linda and Danny had come up with a system. They switched every year which parent went with each kid. Last year Danny went with Sean and Linda went with Jack. This year Danny was going with Jack and Linda was going with Sean. The boys loved it even though their parents were divorced. Linda and Danny still got along and didn't fight with each other like most do. It made it easier on the boys. When we pulled up to the school Danny and I got out and helped the boys get their stuff out of the back. Jack and Sean hugged me and said that they'd see me after school before hugging Danny. He kissed both them and told him he loved them,

"Love you too dad!" They started to run toward the school door before turning around and waving, "Bye dad, bye Kyla!" We laughed and waved back. We were leaning against the car watching as they ran inside,

"You have good kids Danny." He chuckled before pulling me to him. I rested my head on his shoulder,

"I'm proud of them. They're the best sons I could've asked for." I chuckled and looked up at him,

"And they fight like a Reagan." He laughed,

"Yeah, yeah they do." He leaned down and kissed me softly, "Now what was it that Jack said to you earlier? I didn't catch it." I laughed as I pulled away and stood in front of him, just out of arms reach,

"Oh nothing." He chuckled before making a face,

"Nothing, huh?" He pushed off the car and pulled me close again, "Now why don't I believe you?" He was very close. I could feel his breath on my face and I smiled,

"Because you're a smart cop." I kissed him and he smiled and kissed me back before pulling away some,

"Don't think you're getting out of this one. What'd he say?" I chuckled,

"When Sean asked if I would come over and I looked at you, you said you were okay with it. Well, Jack told me that you were more than okay with it." He laughed,

"My son knows me too well. But he's right." He leaned closer again, "I'm more than okay with it." He kissed me and I smiled as I wrapped my arms around his neck. It was sweet and nothing about it was forced. Just a lot of love. When we pulled away he smiled at me, "I can get used to this."

"What, kissing in front of your son's school?" he laughed,

"Just holding you and kissing you." I smiled,

"Me too." I kissed him once before I pulled out of his grasp completely, "But, if we stay here any longer we're gonna be late and Jackie's gonna kill us." He laughed as went to the other side of the car,

"Just buy her coffee and a chocolate danish and she'll be fine." I laughed as we got in the car. We swung by a coffee shop before heading toward the station. When we arrived sure enough Jackie was there and waiting for us.

"Where have you two been?" Danny chucked her the bag before sitting the coffee in front of her,

"Relax Jack, we were dropping the boys off at school." She opened the bag and smirked at him,

"Alright, you're off the hook." She took a big bite and Danny smirked at me,

"Told ya." We spent most of the day in the office looking for this lawyer from New Orleans, Jared, and this made up daughter. We found nothing on the daughter or on Jared. But we did get a name on the lawyer and some of his previous cases. By the end of the day I was seeing double from the amount of paperwork we had been going through. I rubbed the back of my neck and groaned. I had a crick in my neck and I needed more coffee.

Danny saw that she was tired. Not just from going through all of the paper work and searching through videos and calling leads that were just dead ends. She was tired of the fact that it was being dug up again. Danny placed another cup of coffee in front of her before pulling her hand away from her neck. He started to massage her neck and she sighed before shutting her eyes. Danny let a small smile cross his face,

"You need to relax."

"I can't. I'm frustrated that Jared just fell off the grid and there's been no sign of him. And the fact that there's no chatter about this daughter any where. And then this lawyer. All the mobsters and killers he's gotten out of jail. It all makes me crazy." Danny continued to rub her neck before kissing her cheek,

"They'll slip up, they always do. And when that happens we'll be there to get 'em. Hey, remember I said to trust me." She chuckled,

"I trust you." He grinned,

"Good. Now come one. Once we're done with these files we can go get the boys and then I can make dinner." She groaned as he stopped rubbing her neck and went to sit next to her.

"You could have a wonderful career as a massage therapist if this cop thing doesn't work out." He shot her a look before giving her a mock laugh,

"You're just so clever aren't you?" She laughed before taking a big gulp of coffee and getting back to the files. Danny watched her for a minute. He was happy that she was letting him help her. It was one more step in the right direction. For both of them.


	8. The calm before the storm

Danny and I pulled up to the school just as it let out. We got out of the car as the boys came rushing to us. They charged us both and I couldn't help but laugh as I hugged Sean tightly. Danny smiled at me,

"How was school?" Jack groaned,

"It was boring, as usual."

"Yeah, the day wouldn't go by fast enough." I chuckled and pulled back from Sean a bit,

"And why's that?" He grinned,

"Because the end of school meant that you were coming over." Jack laughed,

"And it also meant tacos." Danny and I laughed before I kissed Sean on the head,

"Well I'm glad you think so highly of me to put me right up next to tacos." The boys laughed,

"Nah, you're much better than tacos." Danny chuckled,

"I dunno Jack. You can eat a taco. Can't eat Kyla. Well, you could try but she'd probably be too tough and grizzly." I laughed before hitting Danny's arm,

"Danny!" The boys grinned,

"You'd never pick tacos over Kyla dad." Danny smiled and gave him a slobbery kiss,

"No Sean I wouldn't." He wiped his dad's kiss off and groaned,

"Dad, save that for Kyla not me." Danny laughed and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face,

"I don't want your slobbery kisses." Danny gave me a mischievous look,

"Really? You'd reject my slobbery kisses?" Before I could say anything he grabbed hold of me and started tickling me while placing slobbery kisses on me. Danny knew exactly where I was ticklish and wouldn't give. Soon enough I was pinned against the car with three Reagan boys tickling me. Eventually they let up and Danny kissed me softly,

"Ewwwwww." We pulled away with a laugh and shared a look before grabbing them. I grabbed hold of Sean and tickled him before placing a big wet kiss on his cheek. We were all laughing again. We all got in the car and headed off.

Danny couldn't help but smile to himself as he cooked dinner. Kyla and the boys were in the other room playing a game and every now and then he could hear them laughing. He loved having her and the boys over at once. It made him feel like he was whole again. He had a woman who he loved and who loved him and he had his boys. He knew that there were bad times coming, what with the whole Carmella ordeal but right now. In this moment, he was completely and utterly happy. And he was going to savor every minute of it. He placed the food on the table and walked out into the living room. He found the three of them rolling around on the ground. From the looks of things the boys were lions or bears and Kyla had just become their next meal. They were tickling her and in return she was tickling them. He smiled,

"Alright my three little kids time to eat. Wash your hands." The boys got up and ran to the bathroom as Kyla propped herself up on her elbows,

"Three little kids huh?" He grinned as he pulled her up,

"Yeah, my three little kids." He kissed her once before kissing her again. She smiled and kissed him back,

"They're at it again." Danny and Kyla chuckled as they pulled away and the boys walked past them to the dinning room. Danny smirked,

"Would you rather I kiss you?" He pulled Jack to him and smothered him in kisses. Jack laughed,

"No! Kiss Kyla! She's your girlfriend!" The two chuckled before they all sat down for dinner. Sean grinned,

"Can I say grace?"

"Sure buddy." They all held hands and bowed their heads,

"Dear God, thank you for the yummy tacos we're about to eat. Thank you for mom and Ryan, and thank you for dad and Kyla. And thank you for letting Kyla come to dinner, and play with us, and tell us stories. And keep dad, Kyla, Uncle Jamie, and Grandpa all safe at work. Amen."

"Amen." Danny felt proud with his son. He also felt good about the fact that it didn't bother him when he mentioned Ryan, Linda's boyfriend. He knew that it was good sign. They dug in and ate their tacos with smiled on their faces,

"Kyla, why is your nose purple?" She scoffed a little,

"Well Sean, a bad guy hit me with a pipe." His eyes widened and Jack chuckled,

"I bet dad didn't like that." Danny smirked,

"No I didn't. I almost put his head through the car window." The boys laughed,

"Why didn't you?"

"Because my partner Jackie wouldn't let me." Kyla chuckled before leaning in toward the boys,

"I hit him with the pipe." They grinned and Danny smiled,

"I taught her that." Everybody laughed and went back to their food. When they were done Kyla and Danny cleared the table why the boys went to do their room to do homework.

Danny was brining in the dishes while I scrubbed them and loaded them in the dishwasher. I smiled when I felt warm arms wrap around my waist and lips on my neck,

"Danny." He smiled against my neck,

"Yes?" I couldn't help but giggle as he kissed a part of my neck that was very ticklish,

"That tickles." He smiled again before kissing the same spot,

"I know." I put the dishes down before turning around in his arms and wrapping mine around his neck. He smiled at me before leaning in and kissing me. It was warm and soft. I kissed him back as he held me in his arms. I was very much aware that I was becoming addicted to his kisses. He pulled back and rested his head against mine, "I want to freeze this moment. You, me, and the boys." I smiled,

"So do I. I like being here with you and the boys. It's such a warm and cozy feeling." He grinned before kissing me once,

"Stay the night."

"Danny-" He cut me off with a kiss. I sighed as I melted into his warm embrace. He pulled back just a bit,

"Please?" I let out a soft chuckle,

"Okay, but only because you said please." He grinned and kissed me once before I pulled away completely, "Go help the boys with their homework, I'll finish the dishes."

"I could stay and help you if you like?" I laughed,

"No, because they'll **never** get done if you stay because you'll keep distracting me." He grinned,

"I'm a distraction?" I shook my head with a smile,

"Your kisses are. Now go on. Shoo." I ushered him out of the kitchen with a laugh. He turned around once he was in the doorway,

"Just one more?" I sighed before leaning in and placing a quick peck on his lips,

"Now go."

"Ah that wasn't even a real kiss." I laughed,

"Go!" He chuckled,

"Fine, but you owe me a kiss!" He headed toward the boys room and I went back to the dishes. When the boys were finished they both showered and got ready for bed. Frank called so Danny was in the other room talking to him while I was with the boys. They wanted me to finish my story so we all crawled into Jack's bed with me in the middle. I told them of my trip in Wales but the story I was telling them was of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. It was a very popular legend and was one of my favorites as well. I told them about dragons, knights, a warlock named Merlin, and the beautiful Queen Guinevere. It was a long tale so I only told it to them in parts. The part I was telling them of tonight was about the Lady of the Lake. At the end of the story both boys were fast asleep and Danny was standing in the doorway grinning. He quietly came over and picked Sean up before putting tucking him in to his own bed while I tucked Jack in. We shut the door and made our way to his room. He gave me one of his NYPD shirts with his last name on the back of it and a pair of his boxers since I didn't have any clothes with me. When I crawled into bed he pulled me close.

Danny got a warm feeling when he saw Kyla in bed with the boys telling them stories. He wanted to see that more often. He wanted her here more often. He also liked the way she looked in his clothes. Especially since his shirt had Reagan on the back of it. He kissed her neck,

"I liked watching you tell the boys a bed time story." She grinned,

"I like telling them. My grandfather used to tell them to me all the time. I explored the legend while I was in Wales as well." He smiled,

"Maybe some day we can go there and you can show me everything." She smiled before turning around in his arms,

"I'd like that. Maybe we could take the boys as well, show them where the round table was and all that." He smiled,

"I like the sound of that." She grinned,

"I believe I owe you a kiss." He chuckled,

"I believe you do." She kissed him softly before it grew a little. It was still soft but there was little bit more desire behind it. Not a hungry kind but a longing kind. The kind where you can spend hours kissing and just be content. It was the longing on companionship. **Real** companionship. Not a fling or a one night stand. Someone to spend the rest of your life with. When they pulled away for air both were very happy with just having the other with them. She lied her head down on his chest and he held her close, "Goodnight Kyla."

"Night Danny. I love you." He smiled,

"I love you too." And with that both of them fell fast asleep. Neither one feeling alone or afraid. Just content and happy. But Danny was right, **this** was the calm before the storm. Before all hell broke loose, and life as Kyla and Danny knew it would be turned upside down. And sometimes… sometimes not everybody makes it out alive. The question is, who lives and who dies?


	9. Lunch is never peaceful

The next morning ran much like it did the day before except Kyla was with them. Danny made breakfast while the boys got ready for school and Kyla showered and got ready for work. She said she had left a bag at the station in case she ever spent the night working and needed fresh clothes so she was just going to change when they got there. They ate quickly before heading off to school.

"Kyla, are you coming over again tonight?" She chuckled,

"No, not tonight. I have to go visit a friend." Danny gave her a questioning look and she gave him one that said later.

"Well when will we see you again?"

"Before you leave, I promise." They grinned,

"Okay!" They pulled up to the school and the boys gave Kyla and Danny hugs and both adults kissed them before they got out of the car and ran for the building. They pulled away from the school and Danny glanced at Kyla,

"So what friend are you seeing tonight?"

"Kyle, Mack's brother. I told him I would come visit him a few times before it was time for his surgery which is in two weeks." Danny smiled at her,

"You gonna take him to the hospital?" She nodded,

"I told him I would take him in for the surgery and that I would be there when he woke up and that when he could walk again we would go see his brother." They pulled up to the station and got out of the car. Danny threw his arm around her shoulder before joking,

"I'm so lucky to be dating a philanthropist." She laughed before shoving him a bit,

"Very funny Danny. Besides you know I don't advertise that I have money. I don't like that kind of attention." He chuckled before stopping just outside the station and pulling her close,

"I know, and that's one of the many reasons why I think you're such an amazing person." She blushed a bit and Danny smiled to himself,

"Oh, shut it." She couldn't hide the smile on her face and Danny leaned in and kissed her softly. It didn't last long but it was enough. The two pulled away and headed into the station.

I couldn't help but smile to myself. One day we were going to get caught because Danny and I were just too much of a distraction to each other when we didn't have any actual work to do. I was currently sitting in his chair while he sat on his desk. We were waiting for Jackie to come in who had called and said she had got stuck in traffic. Danny was telling me about the last family football game at Thanksgiving where he and Jamie ended up covered in mud because Frank threw the ball toward a mud pit while both sons went for the ball. I was laughing at the thought of the two rolling around in the mud…again. Danny's phone rang and he glanced at the caller ID,

"It's Erin." He answered, "Hey sis… yeah sure I can do that. Anything specific you want?... okay I'll meet you at one… your office got it, bye." He hung up the phone and looked at me, "Erin wants me to meet her for lunch. Says she's got something she needs to talk to me about."

"That doesn't sound good."

"No, no it doesn't. Especially when she lets me get the food." I laughed,

"That's really not good." He smirked at me,

"You wanna come with me?" I shook my head,

"No you go ahead. I'll eat with Jackie."

"I'll ask her about this lawyer from New Orleans as well. See what she knows about him or can dig up." I chuckled,

"Don't force her." He smirked,

"Erin? Forced? You kidding me, she'd knock my teeth out first before she let me push her around."

"Still, sometimes you can be a bit pushy when it comes to getting something that you know any other lawyer would turn you down for lack of evidence." He gave me a big grin,

"Maybe, but that's only when I'm desperate. Besides it's Erin, she can handle it." Jackie arrived in a huff because of the traffic. Danny and I didn't poke at her because the last thing we wanted was an angry Jackie and nothing to calm her down with. So we got straight to work. We poured over the files and footage again looking for Jared or any mention of this daughter. When lunch time rolled around Danny said he was going to see Erin and to call him if we needed in anything. He started to walk away when I called out,

"Tell Erin I said hey!"

"I will!" And with that he was gone. Jackie chuckled,

"So what should we do for lunch?" I shrugged,

"Something good, I'm starved." She grinned,

"Let's get pizza." I groaned but grabbed my jacket all the same,

"What is with you people and pizza?" She grinned before we headed out.

When Danny arrived at his sister's office he was expecting to get yelled at for something stupid he did or said at home or on the job. And he was right, she was going to grill him. Just not for what he thought it was going to be.

"So you know Martha, my assistant, her daughter goes to the same school Jack and Sean do." Danny sat a bag of greasy food down on her desk before placing two sodas on it,

"Okay, so?" Erin gave him a look as he sat down,

"She came in yesterday and asked if you were seeing anybody. I told her no. So when she tells me that she saw you drop off the boys the other day that you had a woman with you. And that she looked about ten years younger than you. At first I didn't think anything about it, I figured it was just another cop. But when she told me that after the boys ran into school you and this woman basically had a make out session against your car." This was not how Danny planned on telling his sister about him being in a relationship again,

"Erin-"

"And then today she tells me that when she went to pick up her daughter yesterday that you kissed her in front of your boys! Danny, what are you doing? I know it's been three years, and you should move on, but come on. How long have you been in relationship with this woman?" Danny sighed,

"Three days, but-"

"Three days?! Danny! Three days and you're making out with her in front of your kids school? She's ten years younger than you and you've known her for three-"

"Okay first off, she's not ten years younger than me. Second I've known her longer than three days thank you." Danny was irritated now, she was hardly letting him get a word in. Erin scoffed,

"Oh really? Than how much younger than you is she?"

"Eight years but-"

"Oh two years off, I am **so** sorry! So that makes it okay then? The fact that she's just a few years older than your baby brother?"

"Erin will you let me explain? I'm-"

"No! Danny how could you keep something like this from the family?"

"Who said I was keeping it from the family? Dad and Jamie both know, and I wouldn't be surprised if dad told grandpa." Erin stared at him in shock,

"They know? Why did you tell them but I had to find out from my assistant?" Danny sighed and shrugged,

"Because I never got around to telling you. Now will you-"

"Never got around to telling me? Danny, I'm your sister! You should've made time! And what dad and Jamie are okay with this?" Danny let out a sarcastic chuckle,

"Yeah, they are. In fact they encouraged it."

"Oh my… what are you going to tell Linda? I'm sure she'll love the fact that you and this woman made out in front of her kids."

"We didn't make out in front of them, we just kissed. Nothing wrong with that is there? Second my boys are okay with it, in fact they really like her. And Linda won't mind because-"

"Won't mind? Danny of course she'll mind she's-"

"WILL YOU STOP TALKING!" Erin fell silent for a moment, she was shocked. Danny was frustrated with all of her accusations when all of this could've been put to rest if she had just let him tell her who it was. "Thank you, now if you had let me tell you who it was from the beginning all of this could've been avoided." Erin scoffed and crossed her arms,

"I doubt that." Danny smirked at her because he knew that this would change her opinion dramatically, "So, who is she?"

"Kyla." Erin's arms fell to her side as she stared at Danny with wide eyes and mouth open,

"Kyla? As in Kyla Williams, our Kyla Williams? The one we grew up with?" Danny chuckled,

"Yeah, that Kyla. Now what do you think?" Erin thought for a long time,

"I'm sorry for what I said. I was a bit harsh and-"

"A bit? Erin you were gonna rip my head off. Yes Kyla and I were kissing in front of the school and yes I kissed her in front of my boys but they love her. They told me that they were happy for me and that they love Kyla. Linda and Kyla were good friends and you know she won't have a problem with it. And for the age difference, does it matter? It's Kyla! Not some random woman I met." Erin knew she had jumped the gun and that she should've asked him about it. She sighed,

"I'm sorry Danny. I should've known that you wouldn't have done something like that with some random woman. Can you forgive me?" Danny nodded,

"Of course I can, you're my sister. Now can we eat?" Erin chuckled,

"Yeah we can eat now." They dug in to their food and half way through Danny remembered something,

"Oh, what do you know about a lawyer named Leon Walter from New Orleans?"

Jackie and I were walking back to the station swapping embarrassing moments from high school while finishing off our drinks. I was currently telling Jackie about my first boyfriend and when I had to bring him home to meet my grandparents. What I didn't know was that my grandfather had invited Henry, Frank, Danny, Joe, and Jamie over to interview this guy as well. Jackie was cracking up,

"What happened?"

"My grandfather sat him down on the couch and made me go sit with grandma. Then all the Reagan men and my grandfather stood in front of him, arms crossed and staring the poor guy into the floor. Frank was the first one to say anything. He looked at him and asked him what his plans were with me for the night. Nick was his name, and Nick told him that we were gonna go see a movie and maybe go get something to eat afterwards." Jackie nodded,

"Not bad for a fifteen year old."

"Yeah, well, than Joe piped up and said and after that? Nick didn't catch on to what he was saying so Jamie asked him do you plan on bringing her home after that or are you gonna take her back to your place." Jackie burst out laughing, "I was mortified, I was like Jamie's still in middle school, what the heck does he know about sex? And it only got worse. Nick was stuttering over every word and couldn't get a straight answer out so they let him have it. Joe told him that he better come up with the right answer and follow through with it. Jamie told him that they looked at me like I was their sister and that like a sister they loved me very much and that they wanted me to be safe and happy. Frank told him that if he did anything so much as jay walk while I was around he would have him arrested and that he wouldn't see the light of day for a long time." Jackie was still laughing,

"Are you serious? Wow, I'm surprised that that was all they said. I was expecting him to get threatened within an inch of his life."

"Oh he was. Danny made sure of that. He cornered him before we left and told him that if he so much as laid a finger on me in any way that wasn't fit for a gentleman he'd break his arm. And then he told him that if he hurt me in any way he and his brothers would be coming after him and that they would beat him to a pulp." Jackie was crying now she was laughing so hard, "Oh I'm not done. This is the worst part, Danny told him that if he got me pregnant, drunk, or drugged that he was going to, and I quote, 'hunt you down and make your life a living hell before I throttle you.' That's exactly what he said." Jackie had to stop because she was laughing so hard,

"I can see him doing that! That's so him!" I chuckled,

"Yeah, well, needless to say that Nick and I didn't go out on another date." I laughed, "The poor guy was so shaken up that whenever I got close to him he'd jump and move like ten feet away. Never made it to dinner. After the movie I told him I was going home and when he offered to walk me home I told him no. Oh and get this half way home I realize that there's a car following me. And of course me being me instead of running away from the car I went towards it."

"Are you crazy?"

"No, I knew that car anywhere. It was Joe's car. So when I got close enough they tried to speed off but I ran in front of the car."

"You what?"

"Yeah, not one of my smartest moves but it worked. Oh I was so angry with them. When I found out that they tailed me I wanted to rip them to shreds."

"So what'd you do?"

"I made them take me home and then I went up to my room and slammed the door on their faces, more specifically Danny's face." She chuckled,

"I take you two worked out?" I smirked at her,

"Yeah we worked it out like we always did. He promised that they would tail me anymore and I made sure to bring home 'reasonable' looking guys. Still didn't stop them from the interrogation they received whenever they came over." She laughed,

"And now look at you, still best friends with that block head." I smiled,

"Yeah, and I wouldn't trade him." We had just crossed the street and the station was just a block away when we heard shouting. Jackie and I shared a look before taking off down the street. There were a bunch of people standing next to a building looking up and pointing. I looked toward the roof of the building and cursed. There was a young woman standing on the edge, "Jackie call for back up I'm going up."

"Got it." I raced into the building and climbed five flights of stairs before I reached the top. I ran out onto the roof and found her still standing on the edge. She had blonde hair that ended at her shoulders. She wore dark blue jeans with a red sweater and brown leather jacket. She had a black wool cap on as well. As I moved closer I could see she had tears streaming down her face and when she saw me she began to cry harder,

"Go away!" I held my hands up,

"It's okay, I'm a police officer."

"Stay away from me!"

"Alright, okay, I'll stay right here." She looked at the ground and sobbed,

"Just let me go…"

"I can't do that, what's your name?"

"Why does it matter!"

"Well my name's Kyla, and I'd like to be able to call you by your name and not just 'hey you'." I succeeded in getting a small chuckle out of her,

"Amanda."

"Okay Amanda, how old are you?"

"S-seventeen."

"Seventeen… do you want to tell me why you're up here?" She sniffed a bit and looked at me,

"I can't take it anymore… I'm **sick** and tired of all the pain and all the sad looks people give me. I don't want to hear mom crying in the other room. Or dad trying to hide his tears from me. I'm tired of my friends avoiding me because they don't want to see me die." I saw the look in her eye and I knew that she was dying because I had seen that look in my grandfather's eyes,

"What is it?"

"Brain cancer." She pulled off her cap then her wig revealing her bald head. I saw purple scars and knew she must have had at least three surgeries, "This is the fourth time it's come back. And I'm done, I can't fight anymore. I'm always sick and tired. Nobody…" I sighed,

"Nobody understands. Nobody tries to understand." She nodded,

"I really liked this guy… and he liked me. He was going… to ask me to prom, but when I got sick again and I lost my hair…"

"He didn't ask you." She sobbed,

"He said he was sorry but…"

"It doesn't make it hurt any less. Amanda, what did the doctors say?"

"They told me, that this time they should get it all. But that's what they said last time! And look at me! A broken, thin, pathetic looking girl with scars. Does that sound attractive to you?" I heard the sirens and knew that police and firefighters were on their way.

"That's not what I see. I see a girl who's been through so much pain. A strong young woman who's tired of having to keep fighting for her life. She's been so strong up to this point so why stop now? Not everybody dies of this disease. My cousin's husband had leukemia, he suffered with it for seven years before it was completely gone. That was nine years ago. So you see it is possible to make it through this. It is possible for it to go away."

"What about the scars? I'll live with those forever! They're ugly and people stare at them. They remind me that I'm sick and broken." I took a deep breath,

"Can I come closer? I want to show you something." Hesitantly she nodded at me and so I moved closer. By now the firefighters and the police were here. All of them waiting to see what I do. As I got closer I could see the press as well. I hated the press, they didn't need to film this poor girl's distress. I stood up on the ledge so I was next to her and yet far enough away not to cause her any worry. I pulled my jacket it off and threw it to the side,

"What are you doing?"

"Showing you that you're not alone." I pulled off my long sleeved white button down leaving me in my white tank top. The wind whipped around me and I felt the familiar chill of the crisp, cold New York air. That feeling of being alive and numb all at once, "Look at me. My shoulders, my back, my stomach, my neck." I pulled my hair back and turned my head so she could see the scar that resided there. Then I turned so she could see my shoulders which had small scars spread across them before I pulled my shirt up so she could see my stomach. There were two large dark purple scars that went from my rib cage to my hip. I showed her my back which had three more angry, large scars zigzagging across my flesh. "I know what you think about your scars. I understand the feeling you get when you see them." She tentatively reached out and touched one of the scars on my stomach,

"How?" I pulled my shirt back down,

"I'm a cop, I meet evil people all the time."

"You were tortured?" I nodded,

"I know what it feels like, wishing for death because giving up is so much easier than fighting. It'd be so much easier to take your own life and end your pain, but what you don't realize is that the people you'd be leaving behind would be in pain. You'd cause them so much heartache and pain that it'd be almost unbearable for them."

"What about me?! It's unbearable for me?!" I edged a little closer to her and trying not to look down over the edge,

"I know, I know. But what if, what if you can make it through this. What if you beat it this time around? What if you meet a really nice guy this year? You're seventeen, you have so much life left to live. You don't want to keep running from this."

"That's why I'm here, if I end it here than that means no more running." I shook my head and moved a little closer,

"What you're doing right now, this is running away from it. This isn't fighting it. I've been in your shoes. I've tried suicide."

"What changed your mind?" I smiled at her,

"Somebody told me that if I killed myself than I would cause them a lot of heart ache. And I couldn't do that to them. I don't have a whole lot of friends and very little family, but I know that they love me and that if I left them I would hurt them more than I could bear. So now I'm telling you that your family and friends would be so heartbroken if you jump right now. I know you said your friends are avoiding you but that's only because they don't know how to cope with it. They'll come around, I promise. And when they do they'll help you fight this. So please, don't do this. Today is not your last day. Today is not your day to die." I held my hand out to her and for a long time she just stared at it before she slowly took hold of it and started crying. I pulled her to me and I heard cheering from down below. I pulled her off the ledge and lead her down stairs. When we got down there five people rushed us,

"Amanda!" She choked,

"Mom? Dad?" Her parents pulled her into a tight hug and cried as they held her,

"You scarred us so much."

"We thought we were going to lose you." There were three other kids around her age standing there and when she pulled out of her parents grasp she was pulled into her friends hugs,

"What were you thinking?" She looked at me and gave me a weak smile,

"Thank you."

"I'm glad to have met you Amanda. Look me up some time if you need anything." She nodded and I left them alone. I headed over to where Jackie was. The first thing she did was smack me upside the head, "What was that for?"

"For getting up on that ledge!" Then she pulled me into a bone crushing hug, "God you scared me." I chuckled,

"Sorry, it wasn't my intention." When she pulled away an officer brought me my shirt and jacket. As I put them back Jack chuckled,

"Danny's gonna kill you."

"Why?"

"After watching him when you got that busted nose I think it's safe to say he'll flip about this." I sighed,

"Maybe could just not tell him?" She scoffed,

"Yeah right. He'll find out. The press are all over it so he'll know." I looked over at the mob of reporters and sighed,

"I hate the press." She chuckled,

"Come on, let's get back to the station." We were escorted back to the station to keep the press away and when we got inside people were congratulating me. Quite frankly I didn't care for it. I wasn't a fan of publicity. Before I made it very far into the station I was pulled to the side and before I could say anything I was pushed into an interrogation room. When the door was shut and the lights turned on I finally saw who it was,

"Danny?"

"What is wrong with you? I don't know what's stupider, you and the guy with the gun or you on the edge of a roof with a jumper who could take you down with her."

"Danny-" He pulled me into a tight hug,

"You scared me to death…" I smiled a little and hugged him back. He pulled back some and kissed me,

"I'm sorry." I kissed him again and he just held me tightly,

"Don't do that again." I chuckled a little,

"Promise." He pressed his forehead against mine,

"You did good though."

"How do you know?"

"When you guys didn't come back Sarge called me into his office and turned on told me about what was going on, turned on the TV and saw you standing there. I was ready to go over there and pull you off that stupid ledge. Did you have to be so close?" I chuckled and kissed him softly,

"She needed me. She needed to know she wasn't alone." He gave me a small smile,

"Well I'm glad you were there for her." I decided to change the subject to relieve some of the tension,

"How did your lunch go with Erin?" He chuckled,

"Apparently her assistant saw us at the boys' school the other day and told her that I was making out with a woman ten years younger than me against my car." I laughed,

"I'm sure that went over well." He held me close and kissed me again,

"It took me ten minutes to tell her that it was you. Then she had no problem with it." I chuckled as he leaned in and kissed me again. I smiled into it,

"You do realize we're still at work right?" he paused for a second,

"I don't care. I find out my girlfriend's standing on a ledge with a girl thinking about committing suicide then talks her down. I think I'm entitled to this right now." I smiled as he kissed me again. Eventually we did have to pull away when my phone went off. I answered it without looking at it,

"Hello?" Danny wrapped his arms around my waist,

"What's wrong with you?" I chuckled,

"Hi Lauren." Danny smiled against my neck,

"I turn on the news and the first things I see is my cousin standing on a ledge."

"Lauren-"

"I mean why did it have to be you? Surely somebody else could've done it."

"I was the first officer on the scene so it was my job." She sighed and Danny continued to kiss my neck. I had to bite my lip to keep from giggling. "Lauren I'm sorry alright? But it's my job and you know that."

"I know. And I'm proud of you. You just scared me is all."

"You're not the only one I've scared today." Danny chuckled,

"What do you mean?" Danny pulled away and kissed my forehead before heading for the door. He grinned at me before leaving the room,

"Lauren there's something I've been meaning to tell you." She was gonna love this.


	10. And so it begins

It was almost nine o'clock at night and I was still sitting in Kyle's room just watching him sleep. Jamie would be here in half an hour to pick me up before we headed back to his place. I thought about the day and what all had happened. I made a mental note to check up on Amanda and I had to promise Lauren that sometime next week I would bring Danny over for dinner. I chuckled as I thought about her reaction to the news of Danny and I dating. The line was quiet before she asked me if I was kidding her. When I told her I was serious she squealed on the other end and told me how happy she was for me. I knew she'd be okay with it.

Kyle was living with his neighbors at the moment. An elderly couple who always checked in on the boys and loved them very much. We had talked a bit and he asked me when he'd get to see his brother and I told him that once his surgery was over and he was able to walk some that we would go see him. We played a few games and I read him a story before he fell asleep. As I watched him sleep I couldn't help but think back to my earlier conversation with Jackie. I stopped the story of my first date when I slammed the door on Danny's face, but that wasn't where the story ended. No, there was still just a little more.

"_Come on baby girl, talk to me."_

"_Go away Danny! I don't want to talk to you!" I had my head buried in my pillow fighting the urge to scream. _

"_Kyla, please?"_

"_No!" I heard him sigh then there was a series of clicking and my door opened. My head shot up and I looked over my shoulder to see him standing in the doorway, "You picked the lock? Danny I told you go away. I __**don't**__ want to talk to you." He shut the door and sat down on the edge of the bed. I buried my head back into my pillow hoping I could just ignore him and he would go away,_

"_Kyla, I'm sorry your date didn't go well but-"I shot up out of bed and turned on him,_

"_Didn't go well? Danny he was terrified the whole night! I couldn't get within five feet of him without him jumping and trying to stay away from me like I was some kind of disease! Thanks to __**you**__."_

"_Hey it wasn't just me okay Joe and Jamie were with me and dad and your grandfather approved it."_

"_But __**you**__ freaked him out the most and the idea to tail me, yeah that was your idea wasn't it?" He gave me a sheepish look and rubbed the back of his neck,_

"_Yeah, okay you have a point there." I growled at him,_

"_I'm never going to have a boyfriend! You guys are going to scare them all off! Do you know how embarrassing tonight was?" Danny scoffed,_

"_That guy was a shmuck." I glared at him_

"_He's fifteen Danny, he's not twenty three like you. He doesn't have a record or does drugs or __**anything**__ like that so tell me how can he be a shmuck?" He shrugged,_

"_I dunno, it's… it's just a gut feeling." I scoffed at him,_

"_Gut feeling? You can't judge him based off of a gut feeling, Danny! You had no right to do that!" I turned away from him again, "Just go." I felt tears start to form in my eyes. I was never going to have a boyfriend once everybody at school heard about what happened._

"_Baby girl-"_

"_Please. Just go." My voice betrayed me and cracked a little. I heard him sigh and I felt the bed shift as he stood up and heard the door open and after a moment I heard it shut again. Tears were silently streaming down my face and I let out a shaky breath. I had hoped that Danny had left but when I felt the bed dip behind me and warm arms wrap around my waist I knew he hadn't left. And by that point I couldn't contain the sobs any more. I cried as he kissed my head,_

"_I'm sorry Kyla. I didn't mean to make you upset. I just… I didn't want you to get hurt. I was only trying to keep you from getting your heart broken." His voice was soft as he held me tightly and kissed my head again but I couldn't look at him. Not yet, _

"_Y-you could've f-found a better way." _

"_I know. But that instinct to protect you kept me from seeing that I was the one who was hurting you. You were right, I had no right to tail you or be as harsh as I was with… what was his name again?" I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my lips and I knew Danny had did that on purpose and that he was smiling,_

"_Nick."_

"_Nick, right. Besides, Nick wasn't the right guy for you." My sobs had died down and my tears were slowing down as I turned around in his arms,_

"_Really? And who should I date Danny? Hm? Someone like you?" He snorted and smiled at me,_

"_No, definitely not someone like me." I furrowed my brow a little,_

"_And why's that?"_

"_Because I'm hard headed, stubborn, short tempered-" I chuckled,_

"_I get the point Danny. But you're also sweet, caring, and you have a good heart." He gave me a look that clearly said he didn't believe me,_

"_Don't lie baby girl." I smiled,_

"_I'm not. You're my best friend Danny, I wouldn't lie to you." He smiled a bit and pulled me close, "You're just a bit overprotective sometimes." He laughed,_

"_I'll try to work on that." He kissed my forehead and it was one of the few times I felt completely content, lying in the arms of my best friend. _

I smiled at the memory. If only I had known then what I know now. Things could've been very different. There was a slight knock on the door and I looked up to see Jamie standing there,

"You ready to go?" I nodded and leaned over and kissed Kyle's head before following Jamie out of the house.

"How was work?" He sighed,

"Alright, had to give a few speeding tickets and a DUI. But nothing big." I chuckled,

"You'll get there." He smiled at me,

"You didn't come back last night." I groaned,

"Jamie-" He held his hands up,

"Hey I'm just stating a fact."

"It's what you're implying that's the issue." He smirked at me,

"But was I right? Did you spend the night at Danny's?" I looked away from him and he laughed, "So I was right." I playfully shoved him,

"Shut up." He grinned as we got into the car,

"Have you eaten?" I shook my head,

"No, I'm starving. Let's get something besides pizza or Chinese. I'm burnt out on those."

"How does subs sound?"

"Sounds great."

"So I heard you put your negotiating skills to good use today." I chuckled,

"Yeah I did. Poor girl was in a lot of pain." He glanced at me as he drove,

"That's why you connected with her." I nodded,

"I've felt some of her pain. Still do sometimes. I'm glad she didn't jump though. That would've been really hard to deal with." He nodded his head and didn't press me on it. He knew that I probably would've taken three steps back if I had lost her. I didn't do well with losing people anymore. Not when I thought I could've saved them.

"I'm sure Danny lost it afterwards." I laughed,

"You have no idea. He had gone to lunch with Erin because she wanted to ask him about him being in a relationship. Apparently her assistant saw us kissing in front of the school and told Erin that Danny was making out with a woman ten years younger than him against his car."

"Were you?"

"Jamie! No, we weren't. We were just kissing nothing else. Anyways, so when he found out I was standing on that ledge he gave me grief for it." He laughed,

"Sound like Danny."

"I told Lauren. About Danny and I."

"How'd she take it?"

"Like I thought she would. She's invited us over dinner already." He laughed,

"And then you'll have to start coming to Sunday dinner again." I nodded with a smile,

"Yeah Danny and I already talked about that." We were both tired when we pulled up to his apartment and so we said goodnight and went to our separate rooms. I quickly changed and crawled into bed. I was half asleep when my phone started to ring. I groaned as I answered it, "Hello?"

"Kyla Williams." I frowned. I didn't recognize the voice,

"Who is this?"

"I'm hurt. You don't remember me? Well it's been such a long time and things **have **changed." Then it hit me,

"Jared."

"Oh good! You do remember me."

"You were dead until a few days ago."

"And now I'm back." I took a deep breath trying to calm my nerves. I got up out of bed and went to Jamie's room, "I had hoped to see you in person, but that will have to wait." I woke Jamie up and held a finger to my lips as I leaned in close so he could hear

"Is there a point to this call Jared? Or do you just like to annoy me?" Jamie's eyes widened as Jared chuckled,

"Oh there's always a point. Carmella's **always** have a point. There's a message for you on your doorstep." I smirked a bit,

"I'm not home at the moment."

"Oh, pardon, I meant there's a message on **your** doorstep officer Reagan and it's meant for **you** Kyla." Jamie and I's eyes widened,

"I'm in my car not at officer Reagan's, besides there's more than one officer Reagan." He chuckled,

"Officer Jamie Reagan, third son of Commissioner Frank Reagan. Henry Reagan, former police commissioner now retired. Officer Joe Reagan, second oldest son who died while undercover investigating the Blue Templar. And Detective Danny Reagan, eldest son. Now divorced from Linda Reagan. Has two sons, jack is the oldest and Sean is the youngest. You and detective Reagan have been friends for a very long time… and now you're seeing him. I believe you had tacos the other night with the detective and his boys." My heart was pounding so hard I could hardly think, "You are with officer Jamie Reagan now, standing in his room with the phone between you both. Now don't forget about the message, we'll be seeing you soon Kyla." And with that he hung up. My breathing was harsh and I was trembling. And in a flash I dropped my phone and ran for the door.

"Kyla! Come back! You don't know what's out there!" I ignored Jamie and flung the door open. Sitting on the ground was a white box with a black ribbon. I grabbed it quickly and yanked the ribbon off. When I opened it I found a blood spattered white rose, a small black box, and an IPhone. Jamie was next to me looking over my shoulder with his gun drawn,

"What's it mean?" I swallowed hard,

"The white rose stands for innocent beauty, and the blood… well it means pain or death. They would leave these with all of their victims."

"Okay, what's in the black box?" It was the size of a ring box and when I opened it I thought I was going to be sick.

"Is that…"

"Teeth, yeah it is." It was a ring that was made to have three stones, the one in the middle being slightly bigger. But instead of stones teeth took their place.

"Is it human teeth?"

"Most likely. They use teeth and nails to send as warnings to people. The fact that it's in a ring most likely is their way of offering you a piece of somebody you love to "cherish forever." It's a sick kind of game for them."

"And the phone?" I pulled the phone out and looked over it,

"I don't know…" Just then it got a text. The name came up as Carmella's. I opened it and my eyes widened. It was a photo. But not just any photo. It was of me and Jamie right now. Standing here looking at the phone. Jamie and I examined the dark looking for any sign of where he might be,

"Get inside."

"Jamie-"

"Now!" I did and he glanced around before he shut the door and bolted it, "We need to call somebody and then we need to leave." I looked through the phone and my heart caught in my throat. "Kyla, did you hear me? We need to go!"

"Jamie…" I looked up at him and he could clearly see the fear and horror in my eyes,

"What? What was it?" I handed him the phone,

"Pictures. It's full of pictures of me and you from the other night, me and Jackie from today, me and Danny at his apartment, at the boys' school, at work! And half of these photos were in private places like the one of me in the boys' room telling them a story!"

"Okay, Kyla, we **have** to go. We can't stay here. We need to-"

"I need to go." I shot up, grabbed the phone, and ran to my room and started grabbing my bag and putting shoes on,

"Go, go where?" I ignored him and grabbed my gun and knife before tucking them into the waist band of my sweats. "Kyla, you're not going anywhere without me."

"You are all in danger if I stay. They're after me! They **want **me!" Jamie stood in my way,

"I can't let you go."

"Move."

"No. Remember, you promised Danny you wouldn't run?" My heart lurched at that. I did promise him I wouldn't run, that we would face it together.

"I know, but they just changed the rules. Stalking and terrorizing from afar is totally new for them. So I have no idea what they'll come up with next. I need to distance myself to keep you all safe! Don't you get that?"

"You **are** safe as long as you stay with us."

"Jamie, I need to go. Now move." I went to move past him but before I knew it he had me pinned on the ground. We wrestled a bit and I took a cheap shot and elbowed him in the gut. He let go as I winded him and I got up and bolted for the door. I was halfway out when Jamie tackled me from behind. We went down hard and I rolled over to try and wiggle out from underneath him but he managed to roll me back onto my stomach and twist my arm behind my back.

"Stop this Kyla! You aren't safe out there!"

"And you're not safe if I'm here!"

"They can still use you against us even if you're not here."

"Maybe, but if there's the slightest chance that they'll leave you alone I'll take it." Jamie hoisted me up and I stomped on his foot. He grunted but didn't let go. I started thrashing in his arms to try and break free but he had a good hold and wasn't letting up. He hauled me back to his room, kicking and fighting the whole way. He then pushed me into his closet and locked it from the outside. "Jamie! Let me out!" I banged against the door,

"No! Now sit down while I call for help." I kicked at the door but it didn't budge. He must have pushed something in front of it. I paced back in forth as I listed to Jamie's muffled voice on the other side of the door. I couldn't make out much but from what I could gather he had called his dad. I sighed and ran a hand over my face before sliding down against the wall. I pulled the phone out and started going through it. All it had were pictures. Hundreds and hundreds of pictures of me going back at least two years. There were pictures of me by myself and with people. There were pictures of me in my underwear in my apartment which creeped me out but the ones that scared me were the ones with the people I loved. Lauren and her family and Danny and his family. There was a picture of me and the girl, Amanda, on the roof. Me and Kyle. Me and his brother Mack. Then came the terrifying part. I was browsing through the phone when I clicked the video button, just to cover my bases, but what I found made my heart stop. There were a number of videos. And all of them were from the Carmella's and dated back to five years ago. I felt numb as I stared at the titles. Micah Lyons. Kyla Williams. Those were the only two names on every video with Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 attached to them. Each one was around twenty to thirty minutes long. I looked at how many Days there were and I came up with eight. I had been told I was only held for seven. Micah's only had six days. And from what I was told she only survived for five. My finger trembled as I clicked on Kyla Williams-Day 8. It dawned on me five minutes into the video that it was my rescue. I was bloody and bruised and lying on the concrete floor when several cops busted in and down the stairs. I recognized Danny immediately. I watched as he cut the bonds on my hands and feet before scooping me up and bolting up the stairs. The video feed switched and we were outside. I saw Danny running toward an ambulance carrying my half dead body. No ever told me it was Danny who had found me. They just told me an officer rescued me. I exited out of the video and clicked on Micah-Day 3. She was held in a similar room as I was and they were torturing her. I saw as they took a red hot poker and held it in front of her, making her look at it before they slowly drove it into her knee. She screamed and I felt myself shudder. I couldn't watch this so I exited out of it. I felt myself shaking. That scream was going to be forever ingrained in my memory. One of the many screams I had heard. Since most of my time there was a blur I decided to watch Kyla Williams-Day 5. I was sitting in a chair while blood poured out of my mouth. One of the Carmella's was pounding on me. I watched as I took hit after hit. He paused and I spat blood at him which meant I received another punch to the face. Then I heard it, the screams from the other room. Micah's screams. The people around me laughing as she screamed and they each took turns laying into me. I noticed that their faces were never shown, they were smart when they thought this up. I watched for ten minutes as they wailed on me and the screaming and laughing never stopped. When the door opened and the light shone into the dark room I jumped and for a moment I felt like I was back in that hell hole. When my eyes focused on the person in front of me my heart rate slowed down,

"Danny…" I looked at him as another scream came from the video. His eyes snapped to the phone and he quickly took it out of my hands. He looked at it,

"What is this?" Tears were streaming down my face,

"My torture." His eyes widened before a dark look took hold of them. He shut the video off and pocketed it before scooping me up and carrying me out of the closet. I clung to him tightly. "Th-there's pictures. Lots of pictures of me and Lauren, her family, your family, you, your boys."

"Stop."

"Then… then there's video. Eight days of me and six of Micah."

"Kyla-"

"A blood covered rose and a ring with teeth."

"Kyla, stop. You're starting to lose it." He sat me down on Jamie's bed and made me look at him, "You're alright. You're safe. And you are not leaving."

"Danny, they've changed the game. If I stay-"

"You'll be safe. You'll be protected. If you leave you'll be put in more danger and be an open target."

"Danny-"

"No! Alright, that's it. You're not leaving. You're not gonna go out there because if you do you'll get yourself killed and I'm not letting that happen." It was then I noticed the people that were there. Danny, Jamie, Jackie, Renzulli, Frank, and three other cops that I recognized as friends of Frank. Frank stepped closer,

"We're moving you to another location and from here on out you are grounded. You will not leave until this matter is settled. And you are going to have a guard with you at all hours of the day."

"Frank-"

"I'm not suggesting this, and I'm not doing this because you're close to my family. You are the key witness, victim, and officer in this case. And as Commissioner I'm ordering you." I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat and nodded. Frank sighed, "But since you are close to my family, you'll be staying with me and pops." I shook my head,

"No, Frank I can't. I should stay at my place if-"

"You'll stay with me. And that's final." He held the stern tone of a father and I could do nothing but nod and mumble,

"Yes sir." Danny held me tightly and kissed my temple,

"I thought you weren't gonna run?"

"I wasn't. Not until they changed the game. Not until they changed the rules. Danny…" My voice cracked, "I can't lose you. Any of you. I can't." He nodded and ran a hand through my hair. I could see the mixed emotions in his eyes. Anger, pain, sorrow.

"And we can't lose you. **I **can't lose you." He pulled me into a tight hug and I sobbed into his chest. The game had begun and they had just made their first move. And now it was our turn, but to me I saw no way of this game ending in our favor. "Come on, I'll take you over to dad's." Danny went to pick me up but I shook my head stood up on my own. I wiped my face and cleared my throat,

"I'll be fine Danny." I could see the sad look in his eyes and knew that he didn't believe me. He took hold of my hand and headed for the door. Along the way I managed to fall asleep, probably due to the exhaustion from all of the day's events hitting me at once.

Danny glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She was finally asleep. He gripped the steering wheel tightly. His mind was running a hundred miles an hour and he heart was torn in two. These people held so much power over her now. They were destroying by her fear. When he had seen the video she had been watching… of her being tortured… at first his heart broke then he became angry. Angry that these monsters had the nerve to tape not only her torture but her partner Micah's as well. And then to have all those photos. They were messing with her mind now and it was working. He hadn't seen the photos but Jamie had told them that were all of her and that some were extremely personal. He told Danny about the photo of Kyla and the boys from the other night and that also made him nervous. His boys meant a lot to him. But so did Kyla. He loved his boys and Kyla and he needed to protect them both. He knew he was going to have to talk to Linda about it and he knew that she was going to be a bit angry with him at first but that was understandable. They were her kids too and he would be angry if they were in any possible danger because of somebody his ex-wife was seeing. But then she would understand and it would no longer be an issue of who is to blame but rather what can be done to keep them safe. And Danny thought that it would be safe for them to stay with Linda and an undercover police officer for a while.

When he pulled up to the house he got out and opened Kyla's door. Her eyes were slightly red and puffy and he could still see the tear tracks on her cheeks as picked her up out of the car. He closed the door then headed inside. He found his grandpa waiting for him. He gave Danny a sad smile,

"How is she?" Danny looked down at the sleeping woman in his arms and sighed,

"Bad. I'm afraid I'm gonna lose her again. She wants to run so desperately. To get away and fight it on her own. She thinks if she's away from us that the danger will follow her. She wants to protect us but we're already in this and they won't keep us out of this." Henry sighed as he looked at his grandson,

"She's a frightened woman who cares too much for the safety of others to realize she'll get herself killed." Danny shook his head,

"No, she knows. And if she thinks that'll keep us safe…" Henry nodded in understanding,

"The boys are already asleep in Jamie's old room." Danny nodded,

"Thanks grandpa."

"Are you staying?" Danny looked down at her and kissed her forehead,

"Yeah… she'll probably have a nightmare or two and she'll need me there when she wakes up." Henry nodded,

"She needs you now more than ever." Danny nodded as he started for the stairs,

"And I need her." Henry watched as his eldest grandson carried the woman who he considered to be a second granddaughter up the stairs. Frank had told him about Danny and Kyla's relationship on Sunday night. It was unexpected at first but the more he thought about it the more he realized that it should've been expected. He was happy for the two but he knew that there was a lot that need to be fixed. In both of them. Because they were both hurting. But he also knew that they could find healing in one another as they had so many times before. He only prayed that they both made it through this whole ordeal in one piece.

Danny gently laid Kyla down on the bed before pulling off her shoes and then his own. He pulled his shirt off and then his jeans before he crawled into bed next to her. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms securely around her waist. He kissed her head before he shut his eyes. He knew the dreams would come but this time he was prepared. Because he wasn't losing her again. Not this time.


	11. Thoughts of the future and the past

Danny felt her start to toss and turn a little before a light whimpering reached his ears. His eyes flew open and he tightened his grip on her,

"Wake up Kyla, come on baby girl wake up." He shook her a bit and she stirred. Danny could just see her face in the moonlight that shown through the curtains. He could see the frightened look in her eyes, "It's okay baby girl. You're safe." She clung to him tightly and tried to calm her breathing. He rubbed her back and kissed her head,

"Danny, what should I do?"

"You should go back to sleep." She let out a small chuckle,

"That's not what I meant." He kissed her neck before whispering in her ear,

"I know." He kissed her softly before pulling back some, "Go back to sleep, we'll talk about it tomorrow. Just promise me you won't try to leave again." She sighed and nodded as she laid her head down on his chest,

"Thank you, for waking me." He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her as close as possible,

"I'll always be here, remember that." She nodded and soon enough they were both off to sleep again. When Danny woke again it was early morning and the sun was just starting to rise but there was no Kyla beside him. The bed was cold meaning she hadn't been there for a while. He cursed before jumping out of bed and grabbing his gun. He checked the Jamie's room first and found that the boys were both still asleep before he checked the other rooms upstairs. He headed down the stairs and his heart pounded in his chest. He couldn't found her. He heard laughter from the back porch and raised his gun as he opened the door and stepped outside.

I had woken up earlier than I wanted to and decided to just get up. Henry was an early riser and was already up so we had decided to sit out on the back porch, which was enclosed and heated because of the cold, and watch the sunrise. We were expecting Danny to be up soon but not like this. Standing outside in the cold morning air in nothing but his boxers with a gun pointed at us,

"You do realize you have no clothes on right?" He let out a big sigh of relief before lowering the gun and coming over and standing in front of us. Now mind you I had no problem with the view I was getting right now but I don't think Henry appreciated it,

"Will you go put some clothes on? I don't want the neighbors to think my grandson is a lunatic." Danny shot his grandpa a look before looking at me,

"I though you left." I chuckled,

"No, I'm still here. I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep. And as much as I hate to say it you really should go put some clothes on." He grinned at me before leaning down and kissing me softly. I smiled into the kiss and when he pulled away he kissed my forehead,

"I'll be back." He went back into the house and I couldn't help but smile,

"That boy is head over heels for you." My eyes widened as I realized that Henry was still here and saw all of that. I blushed furiously and he just chuckled, "I was married you know, kissing is something I'm used to seeing." I chuckled,

"It's still an odd feeling kissing him in front of you. It's like kissing a guy in front of my own grandfather." Henry chuckled,

"Your grandfather and I always joked about how you and Danny always acted like a married couple…" he shook his head with a smile, "Just never thought you two would actually get together."

"Granddad always told me that I needed to date a guy like the Reagan boys or that I **should** date one of the Reagan boys." I chuckled at the memory, "I think he was thinking more of Joe than Danny though." Henry laughed,

"No I think Danny would've been his first choice if you were a bit older. I think age bothered him when you were in high school but not once you were in college." I chuckled,

"I would've been very popular back then if Danny had been my boyfriend." He raised an eyebrow at me so I elaborated, "A fifteen year old girl with a twenty three year old boyfriend? Imagine the scandal of it all." He smiled at me as I laughed,

"I'm surprised actually that you two didn't get together before now. I mean I was surprised when Frank told me about you two but then I realized I should've expected it. You two have been best friends for so long." I shrugged,

"Wrong place at the wrong time. He met Linda after he returned from Iraq and was training to be a police officer. I was still in college and didn't get to see him as much because of all the work I had to do." Henry nodded in understanding. A silence fell over us for a bit before he looked over at me,

"He loves you." I smiled a bit as I stared out at the rising sun,

"I know… and I love him. That's why this is so hard. Part of me wants to run and do this on my own to keep him, you, and Lauren safe. And part of me doesn't want to face it alone, not again."

"Then don't face it alone. What you think that by running from us that the Carmella's will keep us out of it? They can still use us because you still care about us. They stop using the ones you love when you stop caring about them. And we both know that'll never happen." I sighed,

"You're right… I love you all too much." Just then Danny came out in his jeans from the other night and no shirt or shoes. I smiled at him as he came over and pulled a chair over next to us. "The boys still asleep?" He nodded,

"Like rocks. I told them last night that they wouldn't be going in to school today." Henry chuckled,

"I'm sure they liked that." Danny smirked at me,

"Yeah they did." I took a sip of the orange juice Henry had made me before holding it out to Danny with a smile,

"Want some?" He smiled at me and took the glass before taking a big gulp. I grinned when he started coughing. He swallowed hard and coughed again before handing it back,

"Wh-what's in that? That ain't any kind of orange juice I've ever had before." Henry chuckled,

"My secret blend." I smirked at him,

"Orange juice with rum." Danny looked between us before pointing at Henry,

"You gave her orange juice with rum and yet you've **never** shared with Jamie, Joe, or I?" He chuckled and shook his head before taking a bit gulp,

"Nope, I didn't even share this with your dad until he was thirty seven." Danny turned to me,

"And you," I grinned,

"Yes?" He leaned forward some,

"You and liquor don't usually mix that well, so how are you not on the ground passed out yet when you've drank half of that already?" I smirked at him,

"The orange juice balances it out enough so I'm just a bit buzzed actually. And this is my second glass by the way." Danny's eyes widened before he turned on his grandfather,

"Cut her off after her third or else you'll have a mess to clean up and a very giggly Kyla." Henry laughed,

"She already told me." Danny looked at his watch and sighed,

"I have to go to work soon. I'll be by tonight to pick the boys up. I'm gonna take 'em back to Linda's after I call her and tell her what's going on." I frowned for a moment,

"Will she be angry with me?" He shook his head,

"Nah, she'll be upset at first but she'll get over it."

"Okay, what about me and you? Will that bother her?"

"She won't mind. In fact she'll probably prefer you over most people." I chuckled,

"Most?" He gave me a mock laugh,

"All." Henry downed the rest of his drink before standing and stretching,

"Well, I'm gonna go start breakfast. Want me to whip you up something before you go?" Danny shook his head as he stood,

"Jackie's bringing breakfast today." I smirked,

"What is it?" He grinned and rubbed his stomach,

"Mmm, breakfast burritos." Henry laughed as he went inside. Danny smiled at me as he leaned down and rested his hands on either side of the chair. I stared into his warm eyes before he took hold of my chin and leaned in and kissed me. It was sweet and soft and I melted into it. My eyes slid shut as I kissed him back. When we pulled back for air he pressed his forehead to mine, "I'll be back tonight after I drop the boys off."

"I'll wait up." He leaned in and kissed me once before pulling back again,

"I love you." I smiled a bit,

"I love you too." He kissed me once more before pulling away completely. He grinned at me before he grabbed my orange juice and rum drink and chugged the rest of it down, "Hey! I wasn't finished with that."

"I'm doing you a favor." I crossed my arms and mumbled as he walked past me,

"Sure you were. You just don't want me to tell all of your secrets if I get too buzzed." He laughed,

"No, I just don't want you to get drunk without me around. You're a lot of fun to watch." His kissed my cheek from behind me before kissing my neck right below my right ear and whispered, "Besides, I think you look cute when you're flushed, buzzed, and giggly." I blushed and shivered as his breath hit my ear. He chuckled and kissed my neck once more before leaving. I turned around and shouted at him,

"Well you'll be waiting a **long** time then." He glanced over his shoulder at me and chuckled,

"I can wait." I shook my head with a smile as I turned around,

"I bet you can."

Danny was just smiling from ear to ear as he entered the house. He knew he shouldn't be because of how bad their situation had just gotten but waking up and knowing she was still hear and that she trusted him was enough to make him smile and the fact that she was mostly still her caring and witting self made him smile even more. And kissing her may have played a part in his good morning as well.

Henry chuckled at the look on his grandson's face, "Nice kiss lover boy." Danny laughed,

"Shouldn't you be cooking breakfast? Not spying on people."

"My house, why should I have to spy?" Danny chuckled a bit before taking on a serious face,

"Will you look after her while I'm gone?" he glanced out the window and watched her as she looked at the sky, "I worry about her." Henry stopped what he was doing and went over to Danny. He put a hand on his shoulder,

"We all worry about her son. And yes, I'll look after her." Danny continued to watch her,

"I wish things could be different. I don't like seeing her afraid and hurt like this." Henry nodded,

"Just like she doesn't like seeing you hurt." Danny looked at his grandpa who merely sighed, "She knows you're in pain as well. She knows you don't like only seeing your boys every other week. And that the divorce did a number on your heart." Danny nodded before looking back out the window,

"Just having her with me helps. Makes me feel like I'm not alone anymore and that I can still do my job and have the woman I love. Part of me wishes I would've married her first; it would've saved me a lot of trouble. But then I wouldn't have my boys, and I still love Linda but not the way I used to. And definitely not the same way I love Kyla. Does any of that make sense?" Henry nodded,

"It does. You and Linda were in love and now you both have moved on but you still are connected, through those boys of yours. But Kyla and you." He chuckled, "You wanna talk about two people being made for each other. You to would argue over nothing and agree on everything. You used to pick on her like you did Erin, but whenever one of the other boys in school started to pick on her you flattened them or knocked their teeth out. She helped you get ready for prom and took you shopping for your tuxedo and tie because you had no idea what to do." Henry chuckled, "I remember her senior year, there was that guy on the football team. He wasn't big but he wasn't scrawny either. He asked her to go with him to prom. She was so excited. She had the dress and the shoes and everything." Danny remembered that perfectly,

"Yeah and then the shmuck asked her if it was okay to go with somebody else."

"She was so upset. Cried for days and didn't even wanna go to the dance." Danny nodded. At the time he was in Iraq and was writing and calling his family as much as he could,

"I remember, Joe wrote me about it. I tried to call her about it but I couldn't get through. I got a three week leave and came back without telling her." Henry smiled,

"You called Tom and Ella and told them to make sure she was dressed and ready for prom." Danny smiled,

"I showed up at her house on prom night and surprised her. She practically flew down the stairs to hug me." Henry grinned,

"Then you had to come back here because your mother wanted pictures of the two of you. She was in a dark blue dress and you were in a tux with a dark blue tie." He chuckled,

"I picked it out myself. When we showed up the other kids were surprised." Henry scoffed,

"The way she told it every girl was gawking at you." He shrugged,

"We were dancing when that shmuck showed up with his date." Henry laughed,

"She said he had a black eye and a busted lip." Danny grinned and Henry laughed harder, "That was you wasn't it?" He nodded,

"She asked him about it and he didn't wanna tell her that I went to town on him so he told her it was from football. Grandpa I know I shouldn't have but when I had gotten back, the day before prom I found him after school, he had no clue who I was until I told him. And that was after I wailed on him." Henry chuckled,

"He deserved it." Danny smiled as he thought about dancing with Kyla. That was something he really wanted to do again.

"Well, I gotta go. Thanks for watching the boys and Kyla."

"No problem." Danny ran up the stairs and changed before heading out for work. On his way over he called Linda,

"Hello?"

"Linda, it's Danny. Listen, I'm gonna have to bring the boys home early. I'll bring them by afte I get off work."

"Is everything okay?" Danny sighed and thought about it for a moment,

"No… no, we've got a problem."

"Is anybody hurt or sick-"

"No, everybody's okay. Listen, I'll explain it all tonight when I drop the boys off."

"Okay." He could hear the uncertainty and the worry in her voice, "Be careful." He chuckled,

"I will. I'll bring the boys over around six."

"Alright, bye Danny."

"Bye." He hung up the phone and for the first time he didn't feel lonely or sad when he hung up. Instead he smiled a bit. His heart was starting to mend itself. No, Kyla was mending his heart.

I sighed as I walked back into the house. A sweet aroma filled the house and I grinned,

"Pancakes?" Henry chuckled,

"Of course, I'm making cinnamon ones."

"Mmmm, yummy."

"They should be done any minute. Would you mind waking the boys?" I grinned,

"Sure, I can wake them up." I went upstairs and quietly opened the door to Jamie's old room. Both boys were lying on their stomachs, mouths open, and a light snore filled the room. I grinned, the sight of the two of them made me think of Danny, Joe, and Jamie. I went over and gently shook both boys before whispering, "Jack… Sean… time to get up." They stirred a bit and I smiled as I shook them a bit more before blowing on their faces. They made faces as they swatted lightly at me. I laughed, "Oh so **that's** how it's gonna be huh?" I tickled both of them and soon enough they were awake. Both of them were laughing and giggling,

"No! Kyla!"

"We're awake! We're awake!" I laughed and let up on them. They both had bed hair and still had a sleepy look to their eyes.

"Wash up, grandpa made cinnamon pancakes." The boys smiled,

"Yum!" They both shot up out of bed and ran to the bathroom. I shook my head with a smile as I watched them. I went down stairs and helped Henry set the table. The boys joined us and Henry said grace. It was a leisurely breakfast with no rush or anything. It was peaceful and enjoyable. After we all finished the boys ran upstairs to change before going into the back yard to play, I helped Henry with the dishes.

"Henry you should just let me do the dishes. I mean you cooked so it's only fair that I clean up." He chuckled,

"I can help. I do this every morning after Frank leaves. It's a routine." I chuckled. I took a deep breath and looked out the window. I smiled as I watched Jack and Sean rough house and wrestle in the cold. I thought about where Danny and I's relationship was headed. I mean I've never pictured life without him but I've never pictured life with him as more than just a friend. Now… now what? If we did make it through this whole Carmella ordeal where would our relationship go? Would we continue dating? Well that was an easy question to answer, yes. Danny and I have faced many challenges together so I had no doubt that we would still be together. The question was would we further that relationship? Could I see myself being married to Danny? A smile spread across my face as I thought about Danny and I playing in a backyard with the boys and a dog. Oh yeah, I could see Danny and I being married. I wondered if Danny thought about us ever getting married. I mean I know we've only been dating for a few days but we've been together for so much longer. I shook my head a bit and went back to cleaning the dishes, "What are you think' about?" I chuckled,

"Honestly? Danny." He laughed, "I was thinking about where Danny and I's relationship would go if we made it through this whole Carmella ordeal." He nodded,

"You know he'll never let go, not after he lost you once."

"Oh I have no doubt about that. I meant…" I wasn't sure how to tell him what I was thinking. I mean he **is** Danny's grandfather,

"I think I know what you meant. And let me tell you something. Danny loves you, more than he could've ever loved Linda. And do you know why?" I shook my head no, "Because you two have a connection. You two have always been there for each other. Through the good times and the bad. You've grown up together and been with each other for years. You can read each other like a book and have an immense amount of trust between you. What I'm trying to get at is that you have had years and years to build a strong relationship with each other, one that can withstand everything that a married couple would face. Linda and Danny didn't have that kind of relationship. They didn't know each other as long and had to build that trust. That chemistry, that connection that you two have. It's natural. There's nothing forced or fake about it. It's real." I smiled at him and hugged him,

"Thank you." I felt the vibrations from his chuckle,

"I love you kiddo." I buried my head into his shoulder,

"I love you too." It came out like a whisper but he heard it. Henry reminded me so much of my grandfather right then that it was almost too much. I blinked away the tears though and when I pulled away he gave me a big grin,

"Why don't you go outside and play with the boys? I'll finish up here."

"Henry-" He started to usher me out of the kitchen,

"Go." I laughed,

"Alright, alright. I don't need to be told twice." I smiled and grabbed my jacket before I ran outside and picked Sean up and swung him around. He laughed and when I sat him down I fell over when both boys tackled me to the ground.

Danny was frustrated. He was sitting at his desk going through the paperwork Erin had given him on the lawyer and he was still coming up with very little. There was one thing he did know, that this guy was a professional. He had gotten some very big crime lords and crime families out of jail. He sighed and pushed the papers away. Danny paused for a moment before he reached into his pocket and pulled out the IPhone that Jared had given her. He stared at before he clicked on the photos button. He scrolled through the list of photos and the frown that was already on his face deepened. These photos went back a long time. Even when she was in Wales. He didn't like this. Not one bit. He came across a picture of her in her room in her underwear getting ready for bed and he almost lost it. This was too far. He didn't like the fact that there was some guy stalking his girlfriend and taking pictures of her in her underwear. He found the picture of her and the boys from the other night when she told them a bed time story and he made a mental note to have some tech guys sweep his apartment for bugs or cameras. He went to the videos section and his heart dropped to his stomach.

He saw the labels on the videos and he remembered the look on her face when he found her in his brother's closet watching one of these videos. He clicked on one that was labeled Kyla Williams-Day 3.

Jackie heard screaming and laughter and looked up at Danny who was holding onto a phone which was emanating the horrible sounds. She gave him a cautious look; she saw the dark look in his eyes mixed with horror and a deep sadness. She watched as his grip tightened on the phone to the point where his knuckles turned white. She knew that this was hard for Danny because of how close he and Kyla were. She also knew what was in the box and what they meant but she hadn't seen the phone. She was told that there were videos and photos on it that should never have seen the light of day but she hadn't seen it because Danny had taken it with him when he took Kyla away. She saw Danny stare intently at the phone and began to wonder if she should take it from him.

Danny was a mix of emotions. He was angry with the Carmella's for what they did to her, for filming it and sending it to her. He had seen the aftermath of what they had done to her but he had never actually **seen** what they had done. And hearing Micah's screams and the Carmella's laughter he realized why those sounds still haunted her. He watched as one of them grabbed Kyla by the throat,

"Won't you scream for us? Hm? Like your partner in the other room?" He saw that she was in terrible pain but he also saw that determined look in her eye. He knew she wouldn't give them what she wanted. But he also saw the wounds she had and knew that some of them… some of them would even make him scream. "No? Well, I have something here that might help break that fiery spirit of yours." He saw her eyes widen and saw her pull violently against her captures. And before Danny could even wonder what it was she was pulling away from he saw one of them holding a cigar. A puff of smoke was blown into her face before they pulled her arm out and slowly pressed it into her skin. He saw the tears well in her eyes as she bit down onto her lip. He saw that she wanted to scream but refused to do so. So they pushed harder. He knew that wound. It was one of the few that was actually almost completely gone. It was just slightly discolored skin now. A few shades lighter than the skin around it, hardly noticeable. But in this video it was oozing blood when they pulled back, "Not good enough? Well, I have something here that I was going to save for later but I think for you I'll bring it out early."

Danny saw her spit blood out at them and then was backhanded for it causing more blood to run down her mouth. Danny was rigid as he watched her pull against them and his heart stopped when he heard the crack of a whip. They threw her on her knees and held her down and then to his horror they hit here with it. At each crack he saw tears stroll down her face and heard laughter from the Carmella's. After the fifth crack he heard her let out a strangles sob and on the sixth he heard her scream. And it was at that moment that Danny couldn't take it. He threw the phone against the desk and stood up and headed out side as quickly as he could.

Jackie had watched him the whole time and saw how tense he was and the pain in his eyes. When he threw the phone down and walked out. She went over to his side of the desk and picked it up. The video was still playing and when she looked at it she realized why he was so stiff and hurting. It was Kyla's torture. She exited out of the video and saw all of the other videos. She was told about Micah, Kyla's partner, and what had happened to her. She realized that all of these were torture videos. She then went to the photos and saw all of the photos of Kyla dating back at least two years. But it was the most recent ones that made Jackie's eyes widen. Especially the pictures of Danny and Kyla at the boys' school. Jackie pocketed the phone and went after Danny.

She found him outside down the street a little ways. He was sitting on a bench that was far enough away from the station that he could be left alone but close enough if he was needed. When she got closer she could see the tears in his eyes and that he was fighting to keep them at bay. He was fighting for control of his emotions. Jackie sat down next to him and for a while there was just silence. Then she pulled out the phone,

"You've never seen any of this before have you?" He shook his head,

"I only saw the aftermath. I never…" She nodded and thought very carefully about what she was going to say next,

"There's not just videos on this, there's photos too." He nodded but said nothing, "I've seen them." He nodded again but still said nothing as he stared at the ground, "Where you going to tell me?"

"Jack… it's not that we didn't want to tell you. We were, we just… I dunno. I thought that the more people that knew the more likely it would be that we'd get split up and I didn't want to put you in the position that if the Sarge asked you'd have to lie for me." She chuckled,

"Danny, we've gone through stuff far worse than this. I've lied for far worse than this to Sarge." Danny chuckled a little and shook his head,

"I know…"

"How long?"

"Since Sunday." She whistled,

"That's not long." He shook his head,

"No, it's not. But we've been best friends since I was in high school. And we've always told each other everything. We've been through a lot together so it doesn't feel like it's only been four days." She nodded,

"I get it, and you really don't have to explain to me. I'm happy for you though. You're finally going out again." He chuckled bitterly,

"Yeah, well, this wasn't what I was expecting."

"How is she?"

"Bad. She's holding up, but barely. She's doing her best to stay distracted so she doesn't think about it. She wants to run and try to do this on her own with the vain hope that the people she loves will be left alone. But she also doesn't want to do it on her own, she's afraid to do it on her own. To be left alone with them." Jackie squeezed his shoulder,

"Hey, we'll get these guys. Okay? She won't have to be afraid and you won't have to worry about her. And I won't have to worry about you destroying the whole department and taking out half of New York." Danny chuckled and Jackie smiled,

"Really Jack?"

"Hey, you get ugly when you get upset."

"I do not." She scoffed,

"Yeah you do." Danny glanced at her,

"Oaky, maybe just a little."

I made the boys go back in and promised them hot chocolate to warm them up from the cold. It was almost October which meant that Thanksgiving was on its way and soon after Christmas. I looked around the yard and scanned the trees and houses for any sign of anything out of the ordinary. For **anyone** out of the ordinary. But I saw no one. I turned to walk inside and felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up a bit. I glanced over my shoulder and stared at the house cattycorner to us for a long time. My gut churned a bit and I headed inside and shook my head trying to get rid of the feeling. Hopefully all of this would be done with by Christmas. Hopefully.


	12. Honest

It had been a very uneventful day and most of it I spent indoors watching movies with Jack, Sean, and Henry. I didn't like just sitting and waiting for something to happen. I tried my best to keep my mind occupied but found it extremely difficult. When Danny came around to pick up the boys he told them to get their stuff from upstairs. Then he pulled me to him and just held me tightly.

"Rough day?" He kissed my cheek and buried his face into my neck,

"You could say that." When he pulled away he kissed me slowly. I kissed him back and when I pulled back I saw that he had his eyes shut and knew he was fighting off a sea of emotions. I kissed him softly once more,

"Really rough day then." He nodded but didn't open his eyes. I pressed my forehead against his and placed my hand on his cheek, "Do you want to talk about it?" He covered my hand with his and turned his head some to press a kiss against my palm,

"Not yet." We could hear the boys coming down the stairs and I nodded before pulling away. The boys ran towards me and hugged me tightly,

"We'll miss you Kyla." I smiled,

"And I'll miss you. But we'll see each other soon."

"Promise?"

"Promise." I kissed them both on the cheek and Danny told them to go out to the car. He kissed me softly again,

"I love you." It was quiet, almost like a whisper, but I heard it none the less,

"And I love you." I watched as he walked out to his car and helped the boys put their stuff in the car before heading off. I could see Henry giving me a worried look out of the corner of my eye,

"Something happened today. And whatever it was it wasn't good." I nodded but said nothing. I knew that something had happened today from the moment Danny had walked in. He was quieter than normal and his eyes were slightly red as though he had been crying. I didn't press him because I knew he would tell me about it eventually. I just needed to give him time.

Danny was only paying attention to half of the conversation Jack and Sean were having. His mind was elsewhere. He kept thinking about the photos and the video had seen earlier in the day. About the lawyer and this fake daughter. Most of all he thought about how he just wanted all of it to be over before it even really began. It would make life so much easier if he could just put a bullet in each of the Carmella's heads. He didn't want the people he loved to be in danger any more. He wanted to keep them safe and it killed him to know that at this moment he couldn't do that. Because the threat was out of his reach. But then another thought crossed his mind,

"Hey Jack, Sean."

"Yeah dad?"

"When we get to your mom's don't tell her about Kyla and I dating, I wanna be the one to tell her okay?"

"Sure dad."

"Thanks guys." When Danny pulled up to Linda's he felt his stomach drop a bit. This wasn't how he planned on telling her about him being in a relationship again. When he and the boys reached the doorstep he knocked twice and waited. A few minutes later the door opened revealing a slightly worried Linda. She smiled as her boys hugged her,

"Hey boys, did you have fun with dad?"

"Yeah, we had a great time!" Sean almost added 'with dad and Kyla' but remembered his dad's request and didn't say anything. Danny hugged them both,

"Why don't you guys go inside and let your mom and I talk? Okay?" They nodded and kissed their dad on the cheek,

"Love you dad."

"I love you too." They ran inside and once they were out of ear shot Linda looked back at Danny,

"So what's wrong?" He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck,

"Now I want you to listen to me alright? Do you remember when Kyla was undercover with the Carmella family?"

"How could I forget? I still get chills when I think about her lying in that hospital bed." He nodded,

"Well, they've got a big shot lawyer coming in and he's supposed to be able to get them out. Now I can't give you specific details but this isn't gonna be pretty. He's a hard man and he's good at what he does. And Marcus Carmella wants revenge. He's got one of his goons tailing Kyla right now." Linda's eyes widened,

"Is she alright?"

"She's a bit shaken up but she's holding together."

"So what exactly does this have to do with the boys coming home so early?" Danny sighed again and looked at the ground for a moment,

"This wasn't how I planned on telling you?"

"Tell me what?" Danny looked up at her and took a deep breath,

"I'm, ah, I'm seeing somebody again." At Linda's confused look he elaborated, "Not just somebody, ah… to be more specific, I'm seeing Kyla." Linda was surprised but smiled all the same,

"Wow, I wasn't expecting that." Danny chuckled a bit,

"Neither was I." Linda gave him a smile,

"I'm happy for you Danny. Kyla's good for you."

"She'll probably call you or something soon. But, um, you see the guy stalking Kyla, well, he's been taking pictures of her. They're on a phone and he sent it to her the other day. They date back to at least two years. And some of them are extremely personal ones that there's no way he could've taken without being seen." Linda nodded but still didn't get where he was going, "Kyla came over the other night and she told the boys a story before they went to sleep. There's a picture of them in the phone. And of us dropping the boys off at school." Linda's eyes widened as she saw what Danny meant,

"Dear God…"

"Yeah, so I thought it would be best to bring them back here and have a undercover cop stay nearby." He saw the angry look in Linda's eyes but then he saw it dissipate into a sad look,

"Kyla must feel terrible right now. She always took threats to her family so hard." He nodded,

"She's calling Lauren tomorrow and having her and Jacob take a vacation somewhere for a few weeks. And she's already tried distancing herself from us." Linda chuckled,

"Like that'll happen. You've already got her stashed away with Henry to watch her don't you?" Danny smirked a little,

"I thought about tying her up and throwing her in the closet." She laughed,

"She'd just find a way out." He chuckled,

"Yeah." A silence fell over them and Linda put a hand on his arm,

"I am happy for you Danny. For both of you. Kyla can understand your job far better than I ever could, and she's your best friend."

"You sure you're okay with this?"

"Danny, if I wasn't okay with it I would say something."

"I'm sorry about all this-"

"No, this isn't your fault and it isn't Kyla's. It's the Carmella's. Tell her I said that will you? And that I look forward to hearing from her." Danny nodded and pulled his keys out,

"The cop should be here tomorrow morning. I'll let you know when things die down." She nodded and watched him as he walked back to his car.

I was lying on Danny's bed looking at an old photo that was sitting on his nightstand. Frank and Danny had yet to come home and it had been almost an hour. I was beginning to worry. I was thinking about what if Jared had got hold of them, or if they were run off the side of the road. Henry had told me to go upstairs and relax. But relaxed was far from what I was. The photo that I had been staring at was of Danny, Jamie, Joe, Erin, and I at the beach in Florida. My grandparents and the Reagan's decided to take a combined family vacation over the summer. I was seventeen and Danny was twenty five. It was also the summer before he left for Iraq. I remember the day he told me he was going to join the marines.

_It was a beautiful spring night and Danny and I had decided to sit out and watch the stars for a bit while our families played games inside. We sat on the porch swing just outside my house slowly going back and forth. _

"_Kyla?"_

"_Hm?"_

"_I have something I want to tell you." I looked at him and smiled,_

"_What is it?" He sighed and looked at the ground for a long time. I frowned, "Danny, what is it?"_

"_I'm joining the marines." I laughed,_

"_No really, what is it you want to tell me?" He took hold of my hand and squeezed it,_

"_No, baby girl, I'm being serious. I'm going tomorrow to sign up." I pulled my hand out of his grasp and stood up,_

"_No… no you're kidding. Please, Danny, tell me you're joking." I felt my heart sink to the bottom of my stomach. He stood and sighed,_

"_I'm not kidding. I-"_

"_Why?!"_

"_Because I want to make a difference. I want to help."_

"_Then stay here and help, don't go over there!"_

"_Kyla-"_

"_No, don't __**Kyla**__ me Danny. I may be seventeen but I'm hardly a child. I know what war is and know that people don't always come back. I don't…" I choked on a sob at the thought of losing my best friend. "I don't want…I can't…"_

"_Come here baby girl." I walked into his open arms and cried,_

"_I don't want to lose you."_

"_You won't lose me. I'll be back. I pro-"_

"_Don't. Please don't. Don't promise something that we both know you can't ensure." He pulled back and looked me in the eye,_

"_I'll be back. You won't get rid of me that easily." I laughed despite the tears,_

"_Why do you do that?" He smiled a little,_

"_Do what?"_

"_Make me laugh when I cry." He pulled me into another hug,_

"_Because I love to see you laugh, not cry."_

I heard the door open and I could hear Danny and Frank's voices. I jumped up off the bed and ran down the stairs and when I saw Danny I ran to him and threw my arms around his neck.

"What's wrong?" I pulled back and kissed him once,

"I was worried about you. Both of you. I thought that Jared… well, I thought that you might be hurt." He chuckled and kissed my head,

"No, no problems. Just a lot of traffic. There was an accident on my way back. Dad and I got caught up in it." I pulled back from Danny and hugged Frank. He chuckled and hugged me back,

"You worry too much Kyla." I chuckled,

"I know." The four of us had dinner which consisted of spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread and red wine. I had half a glass and no more. Danny chuckled at me when I declined Henry's offer of a refill. I shook my head with a smile. Conversation was kept light and away from work. When dinner was over Danny and I did the dishes. And when I say we did the dishes I mean I did the dishes and Danny just distracted me. But they did get cleaned and then we said good night and headed upstairs. Danny took a shower and I changed into a comfortable pair of sweats and a tank top. I was lying in bed just staring at the wall. My mind was running away with itself. I was thinking about the Carmella's and what could happen and if I was doing the right thing by staying. I knew that I didn't want to run from the family but I also didn't want them to get hurt because of me. Henry, Frank, and Danny had made it very clear that they could take whatever was thrown at them and that I was part of the family and I wasn't going anywhere. I was pulled from my thoughts though when I felt warm arms wrap around my waist and lips on my neck,

"What are you thinking about?" I turned over and snuggled into his chest,

"Everything. Earlier I was thinking about when you told me you were going to join the marines." He chuckled,

"I remember that. You wouldn't let me promise you I'd come back."

"I was terrified that if you promised me that, then you wouldn't come back." A comfortable silence fell over us before I asked him about earlier, "What happened today?" His grip around me tightened a little,

"I asked Erin to give me all that should could on this Lawyer that the Carmella's have. He's a tough guy. He gets scumbags out all the time." I kissed his chest before looking up at him,

"You're not telling me everything. What else happened? You can't lie to me Danny." He chuckled,

"I never could." He sighed, "I saw the photos." I nodded,

"And the video."

"Yeah… and the video." I could hear the pain in his voice and sat up a bit. I looked down at him,

"You weren't supposed to see that. It wasn't meant for you to see." I lightly ran my hand over his cheek before kissing him softly,

"I should've never let you go. I should've protected you."

"Danny, you couldn't have known. Nobody could've." I kissed him again before lying back down and resting my head on his chest,

"Still, I feel like I should've done more." I knew that no matter how many times I tried to tell him there was nothing he could've done he wouldn't believe me.

"How'd it go with Linda?"

"Good actually."

"She's not upset with me?" I felt the vibrations from his chuckle,

"No, she told me to tell you that this isn't your fault. That it's the Carmella's fault. And that she looks forward to hearing from you." I smiled a little,

"Well at least that's one thing that's gone right."

"Nah, there's lots of things that have gone right."

"Really? Like what?" He shifted a little so that I was looking him right in the eye,

"Well, I got you back in my life. Then I get the chance to date my best friend. And now, I'm lying in bed with somebody who I love very much and want to be with for the rest of my life." I smiled at him before he kissed me, "And I hope she stays with me." I knew what he was asking. I knew he was asking me not run and for once I let my heart rule my head,

"She will. Because she's tired of running and now that she's got you she doesn't want to run away from you… Because I don't want to be away from you." He kissed me softly and I smiled into the kiss, "I love you Danny."

"And I love you Kyla." And with that we fell asleep. No dreams. No nightmares. Just peace. A little bit of peace in this sea of chaos.

Early the next morning I woke to Danny's phone going off. He groaned and rolled over to pick it up,

"Hello?" It was quiet so I could hear the person on the other line,

"Danny, it's Jackie. Listen we have a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"The lawyer. Leon Walter, just arrived in Georgia on a flight from Italy."

"Okay, well, we knew he was coming so I don't see the problem."

"Danny… there's a woman with him. The name she came into the country with is Nicoletta Carmella." Danny sat up in bed,

"I'll be down in twenty minutes. Find out where she is and dig up as much information on her as you can."

"Got it." When he hung up the phone he turned to look at me. I swallowed hard,

"Go. I'm not allowed to leave. And I won't run. I promise." He kissed me once,

"You'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine."

"I'll keep you updated." He kissed me again before pulling away and getting dressed, "We'll get 'em." He took hold of my chin and made me look at him, "You're safe Kyla." He kissed me again before leaving the room and heading down the stairs,

"But are you…"


	13. The beginning of the end

I couldn't sleep after Danny left so I crept down the stairs and made myself a bowel of cereal and headed for the living room. Technically there was no eating allowed outside of the dinning room and kitchen but there were special occasions were that rule was overlooked. And seeing how there was nobody up to catch me I thought it would be alright. I sat on the couch and made myself comfortable before I grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels before coming across a film that I hadn't seen in a long time. It was not one that I would openly admit to love watching because I wasn't one for mushy films or chick flicks but this film was different. I had a sense of class and intelligence. And the words that were spoken were as beautiful as the music and the scenery. I was a quarter of the way through it when a voice startled me,

"Pride and Prejudice." I gasped and looked over my shoulder to see Frank. He came around and sat down beside me, "This was Mary's favorite." I smiled a bit,

"It's my favorite as well. Mary gave me the book when I was a teenager. We went and saw it together with Erin when it came out." He nodded,

"I remember. I also remember when Jamie caught Danny reading the book." I laughed,

"Danny actually read the book?" Frank chuckled,

"He saw the movie as well. I found the ticket stub in his room."

"Why on earth did he take an interest to Pride and Prejudice?" He smiled at me,

"Because of you. He wanted to know why you loved it so much. He asked me why you liked it because you were always a bit of a tom boy and he knew you weren't in to romance films. I told him to read the book if he really wanted to know. And that's exactly what he did." I smiled a little,

"He never told me…"

"He didn't want to tell because he liked it. And he didn't want you to think he was mushy or soft." I chuckled,

"Danny **is** soft and mushy underneath." Frank smiled,

"Yes he is." We continued to watch the rest of the film in silence. When it ended I turned it off and looked at Frank,

"Did he tell you? About this morning?" He nodded,

"Danny woke me up before he left."

"I told him I wouldn't run… I don't **want **to run. Not from him, not from this family. But I'm so terrified. I'm so terrified that somebody will get hurt because of me."

"This family has been through a lot Kyla and it's used to things not going they way they should. **You** are part of this family. And being part of the family means sharing your pain and the dangers. Because no person should have to bear them alone." I gave him a small smile before whispering,

"Thank you." He pulled me to him and kissed my forehead,

"You're a special girl Kyla. And I'm proud to call you my family." I felt tears well in my eyes.

"And I am lucky to call you family as well." For a long time we just sat there in comfortable silence. That is until a thought crossed my mind, "Do you think I'd be allowed out of the house for a little bit today?"

"That depends, where do you want to go?" I bit my lip a bit,

"I would like to see Lauren. If that's at all possible." He smiled,

"What if Lauren came here? I can have the car pick her and Jacob up and bring them both here so we don't compromise your security." I grinned,

"Alright. That sounds good to me." He kissed my head,

"I'll call the car after I get ready and then they should be here around noon."

"Thanks Frank." He nodded and headed up the stairs. I lied back down on the couch and soon enough I was asleep.

Frank smiled a little when he came back down the stairs and found her fast asleep. He was happy she was here. He liked having her over and seeing her laugh and smile. She reminded him of his Mary in so many ways. He took a deep breath as he walked outside,

"You would've been so happy. You'd be proud of them both. They're not teenagers anymore. They're both so grown up and they're both still hurting. Just not as much as they were. They're finding it easier to deal with it with one another." He paused before chuckling, "They'll probably be married in a year. You would've loved that. Helping her get ready for the wedding and being mom for her… I miss you." The car pulled up and Frank got inside and they drove off.

Danny had made it to the station rather quickly and immediately went for the video of the lawyer and this daughter. He asked Jackie about what she had found on her and she had said that she had nothing yet. That was three hours ago and they still hadn't found anything new about her. It was hard to get info when all of the files and video footage were in another country. All this did was make Danny irritable. Jackie knew that it was eating at Danny. She could see it on his face.

"Danny, why don't you go home to Kyla. I can call you when I find something." He shook his head,

"No I should stay here and help you search."

"No, what you **should** do is go home to her. We're just waiting for the files from Italy and we lost them after they left Georgia. Go home." Danny sighed and ran his hand over his face,

"She's right Danny." Danny turned around to see his Sarge a few feet away,

"Sarge-"

"Danny I'm not blind. I know that there's something going on between you and Kyla. And it'd be better for both of you if you just went home. Jackie will call you if there are any developments but I'm ordering you to go home." Danny sighed in defeat, "And another thing, how long did you actually think you could keep your relationship from me?" He shrugged,

"As long as I could."

"Why?"

"Well aren't you gonna split us up now? Stick her with somebody else." His Sarge chuckled,

"Nah, not yet at least. I haven't had reason to pull her yet and I don't have anybody suitable enough to be her partner yet. So until we do find one you're stuck with her." Danny smiled a little,

"Thanks Sarge." He nodded,

"Now go home." Danny chuckled and shook his head,

"Alright, I'm going." He turned to Jackie, "But you let me know the moment you find anything." She nodded,

"I will, now go!" He laughed,

"I'm going, I'm going."

There was a knock at the door and when Henry opened it I could hear Lauren and Jacob and grinned. I hopped up off the couch and ran into the other room,

"Lauren!"

"Kyla!" We laughed as we hugged each other tightly,

"I'm so happy to see you. I've missed you."

"And I've missed you! I haven't seen you in months and then I find out that you're back in New York when I turn on the TV and see you on top of building trying to talk down a suicidal girl!" she smacked me in the head,

"Hey!"

"You deserved that."

"Okay maybe I did." I pulled away from her and smiled at Jacob before hugging him,

"I thought you were gonna forget all about me."

"How could I forget you?" I laughed, "I missed both of you." Henry smiled at us,

"I'm gonna start lunch, will you two be staying?" Before either one could say anything I spoke up,

"Yes, they are. I'm not letting you leave for a while." They laughed,

"I guess we're staying."

"Let me help you Henry." Jacob and Henry went into the kitchen and started making dinner while Lauren and I went into the living room where we sat on the couch and started catching up. I asked about their jobs and how she was doing seeing how she looked like she was ready to pop at any minute. Then she smiled at me, "So… you and Danny." I chuckled,

"What about me and Danny?" She rolled her eyes,

"You two are actually together. I always thought you two would be good together but I never actually thought you would." I smiled at her,

"But we are, and I'm quite happy." She chuckled,

"I can tell. You seem much happier than the last time I saw you. You two are good for one another. You help pick each other up." I smiled to myself,

"Yes, we do. And God knows I need him now more than ever." She frowned at me,

"Frank told me. Oh Kyla, I'm so sorry you have to go through all this again." I nodded, not really knowing what else to say. "I know you're not okay. I know that this is the last thing you wanted to happen but I'm glad you're not facing this on your own this time around." I nodded,

"You can thank Danny for that. I was ready to run. I thought I could keep you all safe if I wasn't around. But Danny wouldn't have it." She smiled at me. We heard the back door open and shut,

"Grandpa, Kyla?" I grinned a bit,

"Danny?" He came into the living room and smiled at me,

"Hey baby girl." He sat down next to me and kissed my cheek, "Hey Lauren, it's good to see you." She smiled at him,

"You too Danny. Glad to know that you're taking care of my cousin as well." He pulled me closer and chuckled,

"I think she's taking care of me." I shook my head with a smile,

"We take care of each other. What are you doing home so early?"

"Sarge and Jackie told me to go home; nothing new has come up so they told me to go home. I think I was making them nervous with the amount of pacing I was doing."

"It was probably for the rest of the department's safety." He laughed,

"With the mood I was in it probably was." Lauren laughed,

"So nothing new yet?" He shook his head,

"Whoever's been taking pictures of Kyla has stopped. We haven't had any new ones sent in. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not." She nodded before a smile crept onto her face,

"Have you told the family about you two?" Danny laughed,

"More or less. Jamie figured it out on his own and Dad knows. He told grandpa. Erin was the only one who didn't know." I smirked at her,

"She found out through her secretary." Lauren cracked up at that,

"How did the secretary know?"

"She saw Danny and I kissing in front of Jack and Sean's school." Lauren laughed harder. Henry and Jacob came into the living room,

"Hey Danny." Danny stood up and hugged Jacob,

"Hey Jacob. Long time no see."

"Yeah, though I think we'll probably being seeing a lot more of each other now that you and Kyla are dating." Henry smiled at the four of us,

"It's good to have you all here again." Lauren chuckled,

"It's good to be back. We've missed seeing the Reagan family." Danny chuckled,

"Well now you're stuck with us." She laughed,

"I've **always** been stuck with you. Kyla here never wanted me to be alone for the holidays but, though she never said it, she also wanted to be here." She gave me a pointed look and I blushed a bit,

"Shut up Lauren. It's not like you minded." She grinned,

"No I never minded. Besides it meant I got to see you and Jamie rolling around in the snow together looking like children." Henry laughed,

"You two always loved to scrap together didn't you?" I nodded,

"Jamie was more my size. Joe and Danny were too big for me to be able to handle." Danny scoffed,

"That never stopped you from trying." I pushed him a bit,

"Hey if I remember correctly you and Joe didn't mind either. It gave you both the perfect opportunity to gang up on us." He laughed,

"And we took every chance we got." The oven went off and Henry grinned,

"Lunch is ready." I stood up with him,

"I'll help you set the table." And with that Henry and I headed into the kitchen leaving Danny with Lauren and Jacob

Danny couldn't help but smile and watch her as she left the room. Jacob chuckled catching Danny's attention,

"What?" He shook his head with a laugh,

"You fell hard Danny."

"Don't I know it. You should've seen me before we started dating. Jamie caught me staring at her one night and said the same thing." Lauren grinned at him,

"You really love her don't you?" Danny couldn't suppress the grin that spread across his face,

"Yeah, I do. A lot actually. We've only been dating for almost a week but…"

"Well you two have been best friends since high school. You've always looked after her. You and your family both. And she's always managed to get through to you when nobody else could." Danny nodded,

"She's always known how I've felt about things. I've never been able to hide anything from her, and I'm glad about that. Because I'd never want to hide anything from her." Lauren noticed a slightly sad look to his eyes, "I don't want her to get hurt either. This whole Carmella deal needs to be taken care of quickly. I can't let them hurt her. Not again." Lauren put her hand on his arm,

"Kyla is a strong woman Danny. You have to remember that. You also have to remember that she's a very protective woman as well. And you, your family, and Jacob and I are her top priority. If she finds a way to make it so that we're left alone she won't hesitate to take it. Even if it means she'll be putting herself in harm's way. Danny, please look after her. Don't let her do anything foolish." He nodded and swallowed hard. He knew that Lauren was right. She wouldn't run from him but if she was given the opportunity to keep those she loved safe and knew for a fact that they would be alright she would do it.

I went back into the living room to see Danny, Lauren, and Jacob looking very serious,

"Henry says it's time to come eat." Jacob and Danny helped Lauren stand since it was hard for her to get up by herself. Jacob led her into the dining room and I lightly took hold of Danny's arm and pulled him close. I wrapped my arms loosely around his neck before lightly kissing him, "What's wrong? The three of you looked awfully serious when I came to get you." He wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed his forehead against mine,

"It's nothing. Just worrying about you is all." I smiled a bit and kissed him slowly. He kissed me back before pulling back and kissing my head and just holding me to him. I whispered in his ear,

"I'm fine. You don't need to worry so much because Danny, you and me we always make it out in the end. Always." I felt him nod and pulled back and saw that he half believed me. I kissed him once before taking hold of his hand, "Now let's go eat before they decide to send out a search party." He laughed and followed me into the dining room.

Lunch had gone well and we all just enjoyed one another's company. Lauren and Jacob had promised to visit more and left. Danny kissed my cheek before going upstairs to shower since he hadn't had the chance to earlier. Henry had gone to take a nap which left me alone with nothing to do. A thought crossed my head and I pulled out my phone and called a friend,

"Hello?"

"Linda, it's me. It's Kyla."

"Kyla, are you alright? Did something happen?" I smiled a little at the motherly tone she had,

"No, no everything's alright. I just wanted to talk." She let out a sigh of relief,

"Danny said you would."

"Linda, I wish I could tell you this in person but seeing as I'm sort of being held up calling is the second best option. I will **never **try to replace you as the boy's mother. Never. They're your boys and I will respect that. I will never cross that line." The line was silent for a moment and I was worried I had said something wrong. I heard her sniff and in a slightly choked up voice she said,

"Thank you Kyla. I know you never would but it's still nice to hear." I smiled in relief,

"I still love you Linda. You're still like a sister to me."

"Oh and so are you. I've been worried about you since I hadn't heard from you in a while. And when Danny told me about what happened… I'm sorry Kyla that you have to go through all this again." I sighed,

"I'm managing… Are you really okay with Danny and I being together?" She chuckled,

"Yes I am. You can understand him in ways I've never been able to. You understand the parts of his life that I never could. You can handle it. I'm happy for both of you. You two are really good for each other."

"Thanks Linda. For everything. I just didn't want to step on toes." She laughed,

"I'm glad we're still friends Kyla."

"Me too." I heard Danny coming down the stairs, "Listen I've gotta go but I'll talk to you again okay?"

"Sounds good. Bye Kyla."

"Bye." I hung up the phone just as Danny sat down next to me,

"Who was that?"

"Linda. I called her."

"Anything I should know about?" I chuckled,

"No, we just talked. Nothing specific." He laughed before pulling me close,

"Somehow I don't believe you." He kissed me once,

"Maybe I just don't want to share." I kissed him and he kissed me back. And for the next few hours that was all we did. Lying on the couch just kissing and enjoying one another's company.

That day was almost three months ago. There had been no sight of the lawyer or this mysterious daughter after their arrival at the airport in Georgia. No more pictures or video had been sent since that night at Jamie's. I was allowed to go back to work but was restricted to working at a desk for most of the time. The boys were allowed to come back as well and I had had lunch with Linda too. I had more or less moved in with Danny. I had a good amount of my stuff at his place but there were still a few things at my flat. Lauren had had her second child a week ago. A cute little baby girl named Amelia. Their four year old son Ryan was so happy to be a big brother. Danny and I, as well as the rest of the Reagan family, went to see them in the hospital. When I had held my new goddaughter I couldn't help but smile. Lauren and Jacob had asked Danny if he would be the godfather and he told them that he would be honored. Danny had later told me that he thought I was a natural at being a mother. With that thought in mind I had started to think about what if Danny and I had kids. But I pushed that thought out of my head because at the moment I had more important things to think about.

It was Thursday night and Danny and Jackie were working late. It was Danny's week with the boys so I told him I would pick them up from school. When I had gotten to the school we all headed home to meet Jacob who was bringing Ryan with him. Jacob had wanted to give Lauren some time alone with the baby so I told him to bring Ryan and we could order pizza and watch movies.

We were half way through Finding Nemo when the doorbell rang. I stood up and went to the door. I looked out the peep hole before I opened the door. The guy smiled at me,

"I've got two large cheese pizzas, a large peperoni, and an Italian sub. The pop's still in the car. I couldn't carry it all." I took the pizzas and sat them on the counter,

"I'll help you." Jack hopped up,

"Can I help?" I chuckled,

"Sure." This made the other two want to help as well. I laughed,

"Alright, we'll all help. Coming Jacob?" He chuckled,

"Why not?" So we all followed the pizza man to his car. He opened the trunk but instead of pulling out pop he pulled out a semiautomatic .45 caliber colt and pointed it at us.

"Alright now this is what you're gonna do." He pointed at me,

"You're gonna put your gun in the trunk. Slowly." I did as he asked and slowly pulled the gun from my waistband and sat it in the trunk. "Now back up." We all took large steps back, but he reached forward and pulled Jack toward him,

"No! Jack!" I started to move forward but stopped when he pointed the barrel at his head,

"Don't move or I blow his head off."

"Please, you don't want him. You don't want him. Please." I fell to my knees in front of him, "Please, don't take him." He smirked at me,

"I've been told to give you a message officer Kyla Williams."

"What message?"

"This is the beginning of the end in the story of Kyla Ruth Williams. You have been given a choice." He raised his gun and pointed it at Jacob and the boys, "Them or Jack. You choose." I choked on a sob,

"No please, not them. Not any of them. They've done nothing to you!"

"No, but you have."

"Please, there has to be another way." He laughed,

"You're right. There's always another way. If you don't pick one then you forfeit yourself. Do you miss your old room? Those cold hard floors and that musty damp smell mixed with blood? Well unfortunately that place no longer exists thanks to your boyfriend and the rest of the NYPD. But we have found another… more suitable place to keep you."

"Me for the boy. Is that what you're saying?"

"More or less."

"No! I need a yes or no answer." I swallowed hard and tried to keep from trembling, "If I go with you will you leave them alone."

"Yes."

"Not just these guys. But all of them. Lauren and her family and the Reagan family. Swear that you will leave them alone."

"Of course."

"By blood. Swear by blood. I know how you people are. Nothing is set in stone unless there's blood." He laughed,

"Very good. Alright, have it your way." I stood up shakily and he motioned for me to come closer. I was almost a car length away when he shoved Jack toward Jacob,

"Jacob, take them inside."

"Kyla don't do this. You can't-"

"Now!" Jacob made the boys go into the house and stood on the other side of the street. "Alright, you swear by blood that you'll leave them alone."

"Like I said, of course." Before I could even blink he shot me in the shoulder and I fell to my knees again, "But we never agreed on whose blood."

"KYLA!" I felt my vision swim a little before being hoisted to my feet,

"Stay back! Stay back or I'll finish her off now." I could see the horror on Jacob's face as he forced me into the trunk. The last thing I saw was the twisted smile on the man's face as he took a picture with his phone before the trunk lid was shut and darkness consumed me.

Danny and Jackie had just gotten back from a late night stake out and were both ready to go to bed. They had just walked in when one of the techies shouted,

"Reagan! We got something!"

"What are you talking about?"

"The Carmella phone, we just got a message." Danny and Jackie quickly ran to the computer where the phone was hooked up. The techie clicked on the message. Jackie furrowed her brow,

"What the heck does that mean?" Danny stared at it,

"This is the beginning of the end. R.I.P. KRW. I don't-" Danny's heart stopped cold when a picture popped up. Jackie gasped,

"Oh my God…" Danny's phone started ringing and when he didn't get it Jackie pulled it out and answered it. "Hello? This is Jackie Danny's partner listen can he- what? Where are you? Did you get a license plate? We're on our way." She hung up and placed a hand on Danny's shoulder, "That was Jacob, he said that Kyla was just shot and kidnapped by the pizza delivery guy. He said they were headed west and that there was no license plate. He did get a good look at the guy though." Danny hadn't said anything. He was gripping the table so tightly that his knuckles were white. "Danny?"

He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think straight. His chest hurt so much and he just couldn't breathe. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the photo of his beloved Kyla lying in a trunk bleeding. And in a flash all of his emotions caught up to him at once. Anger, pain, anguish. All at once they hit him and his heart couldn't take it. He let out a heart wrenching scream that can only be described as one that no one should ever have to hear. Everybody in that section of the department fell silent when they heard him. His sergeant came running out of his office just in time to see Danny fall onto his knees as tremendous sobs racked his body,

"What happened?" Jackie was on the ground next to her partner trying to calm him down. Danny gasped for breath before choking out,

"They took her… They shot her and they took her."

"Who shot who?" Jackie looked up at him with tears in the corner,

"Kyla… they shot Kyla and put her in the trunk of a car." It was then that he realized why Danny was so in so much pain. The cause for his agonizing scream and sobs. Danny stumbled to his feet,

"I've gotta find her. I have to find her." He tried to leave but Jackie grabbed him and pulled him into a hug,

"You need to stop. For just one second. You need to stop and breathe." He took a deep breath and hugged her back,

"What am I gonna do?" Jackie pulled back and stared him right in the eye,

"We're gonna find her, and then we're gonna kill the scumbag who did this." Danny wiped his eyes and Jackie saw a hard look take over his face,

"I'm gonna rip the Carmella's to shreds." The two headed out leaving their sergeant to call the Commissioner.

Frank was in a meeting with the mayor and a few other officials and Garrett. It was one of those meetings that they had every month to discuss budgets and policies. They were strictly to be undisturbed unless of great emergency. So when Baker walked in with a grave look on her face Frank's stomach started to twist,

"I'm sorry to disturb Mr. Mayor but there's been an emergency." The mayor looked at her before nodding,

"What's the emergency?" She looked at Frank,

"Commissioner…" He sighed,

"Who is it?"

"Kyla Williams, sir."

"What happened?"

"We don't know. Detective Reagan's sergeant called and said that the phone that was sent to Kyla received a message and a photo."

"What was the message?"

"This is the beginning of the end. R.I.P. KRW." Frank's stomach started to knot more,

"Kyla Ruth Williams. And the photo?" Baker swallowed hard,

"She's in the trunk of a car with a bullet wound in her shoulder." Frank paled and stood up,

"I have to go." One of the officials, who Frank had never really liked, made a very stupid move,

"Frank, we only have this meeting once every month and we're only half way through. Surely your officers are capable of finding one of her?" Frank squared his shoulders and gave the man a stern look,

"If your daughter had just been shot and thrown into the back of a trunk would you wait until the end of a meeting to go and look for her?"

"Frank she's not your daughter."

"No, but I am her godfather and she's dating my son. Now if you're done wasting my time I have to go." And without another word he turned and left with Garrett behind him. Frank grabbed his coat,

"Frank, where are you going?"

"To prison. There's someone I need to talk to." Garrett knew exactly where he was going and what he was going to do. As the saying goes, if you cut off the head of the snake the body dies. So that's exactly where Frank was headed. To the head of the snake. The head of the Carmella family.


	14. Welcome to the first stage of hell

Jackie took the keys from Danny because in his state she didn't think it would be wise for him to drive. And she was right, because the whole way to his apartment he hadn't said a word. He stared out the front window and never even moved. It worried Jackie. When they pulled up to his place there were a few cop cars and an ambulance. Before Jackie even managed to get the car in park Danny was out and running.

"Dad!" Jack and Sean met their dad half way. He wrapped them both up in a hug and kissed their heads,

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Jack and Sean both had tears in their eyes and their noses were red,

"We're fine dad."

"They took Kyla!" He hugged them both one more time before standing up,

"I'm gonna call aunt Erin and she's gonna come get you guys alright? Now go over there and sit with Ryan for a bit." They nodded and did as he said. Danny went over to Jacob who was sitting on the curb with his face in his hands.

"Jacob." He looked up and Danny saw how red his face was with tears.

"Danny!" He stood up and started stumbling over his words, "I'm sorry. I should- I should've ran after him. I shouldn't have let her go. She told me to take the boys inside and when I went back out… I should've-" Danny pulled him into a hug and just gripped him tightly,

"It's not your fault Jacob." Danny was starting to lose control again and his voice cracked, "It's not your fault. I should've been more watchful. I should've kept her safe."

"Danny-"

"Detective." Danny pulled away and turned around to see a young officer standing there with Jackie, "We've got a video from the shop just down the street." Danny looked at Jacob,

"Stay with the kids. Could you call Erin? Ask her to come get the boys?" He nodded and Danny followed the officer with Jackie. When they got into the shop the officer warned him,

"Sir, I've been told that Detective Williams is your girlfriend. So I just want to warn you that this isn't pretty." He nodded,

"Show me." Jackie put her hand on his shoulder,

"Danny-"

"**Show me**." The officer nodded and started the video. There was no audio but Danny could get that from Jacob's statement. Danny watched as Kyla, Jacob, and the kids followed the man out to the car. He saw him pull out a gun and when the man grabbed Jack Danny felt like he was going to be sick. He hadn't known that his son had been taken hostage. He watched as Kyla fell on her knees and looked like she was pleading with him. He saw he stand and the man shoved Jack to Jacob and then he took the boys back to the house. When he shot her and then hoisted her into the car Danny actually felt sick and had to leave. He went outside and took a deep breath,

"You okay?" Jackie had followed Danny out of the shop,

"No. He just shot her and put her in the trunk like she was nothing. She… she saved my son." Jackie gripped his elbow,

"We are going to find her Danny. Alright?" Danny didn't know what to say so he merely nodded, "Why don't we go see if Jacob can fill us in on the conversation okay?" Danny followed Jackie over to where Jacob and the boys were sitting. Jack and Sean hugged him again,

"Will Kyla be alright?" Danny swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat,

"I don't know buddy. I don't know."

Franks was standing outside of a holding cell while the guards made sure that the prisoner inside was secure. When he was given the all clear he entered the room. There were two guards, one on either side of the prisoner, and Frank sat down across from them. Chained to the table was a man who was around Frank's age with grey hair and ice cold blue eyes. The man smiled at him,

"Police Commissioner Frank Reagan. What have I done to deserve the pleasure of seeing you in person?"

"Marcus Carmella, I don't have time to play games so I'm going to get right to the point. Where is Detective Kyla Williams." An evil grin spread across his face,

"Sweet little Kyla, why I haven't seen her in almost six years. How is she?" Frank took a deep breath and tried to contain his anger. Marcus laughed, "Why Commissioner, you seem angry. Is something bothering you? Did something happen to our little Kyla?"

"Detective Williams was shot and put in the back of a trunk about an hour ago. I want to know where she is and you're going to tell me." He laughed,

"How could I know? Don't you remember? I've been incarcerated here."

"This has your finger prints all over it." He shrugged,

"I can't help you. What day is it?"

"Why do you want to know?" He smiled,

"I've got another trial coming up soon and my lawyer should be here any day with my daughter. She's a lovely girl, you'd really-"

"Enough. You and I both know that there is no daughter. Now where is Kyla."

"First name now. That's quite a personal and familiar title isn't it? Let me think, if my memory serves me correctly she's your goddaughter correct?" Fank didn't say anything but his anger was growing by the second. Marcus laughed, "That's it, yes now I remember. She's your goddaughter. Well I hope you find her. Tell her to come visit me some time. I'd enjoy the visit." Frank left the room angrier than he started. Garrett saw the look on his face and knew that he was in a foul mood,

"What'd he say?"

"He denies any knowledge of knowing what's happened. But he did say that his lawyer and daughter should be here any day. Call Detective Curatola and tell her about the lawyer and daughter."

"Where will you be?" Frank looked at him over his shoulder,

"I've got a few people who owe me favors. Now it's time to collect." And with that Frank walked off.

I was thrown into consciousness when a bucket of ice water was dumped on me. I gasped and spluttered as I focused on my surroundings. I was very much aware of the searing pain in my shoulder and remembered what had happened.

"Glad to see you're still with us. I didn't hit anything serious. But it's enough to cause you some… discomfort." The same man from before was standing in front of me, no longer dressed as a pizza man. He was just an inch or two shorter than Danny with black curly hair that ended just above his shoulders. He was clean shaven with bright green eyes. He was wearing a black shirt with black jeans and what looked like steel toed work boots.

The room I was being held in was large with abandoned equipment and supplies. By the smell in the air I would guess that I was being held in an abandoned meat packing warehouse of some kind. The floors were concrete and the air was close and I found it hard to breathe. I was sitting on a metal chair with my hands cuffed in front of me and my feet bound by rope. I also noticed that my shoes were gone as well and I was left bare foot. "Not up to talking? That's alright, what I have planned for you doesn't require talking." He pulled me up by the cuffs and threw me onto the floor. I painfully sat up on my knees. "Now, I've got a game for you." I felt him take hold of the rope around my ankles and cut it off. "You see If find that-" I cut him off by kicking his feet out from under him and quickly straddling him and grabbing at his throat. I was trying to choke him but was kicked off of him with a laugh,

"Glad to know you still have your fighting spirit." I looked up from the floor to see Jared standing there smiling at me,

"You bas-"

"Ah, ah. Nice words now. We don't want the younger viewers to be offended now do we?" I gave him a questioning look and he motioned around the building. I looked around the room and saw cameras everywhere. Following my every move. Then it hit me. He wasn't just filming it because he thought it'd be fun, he was sending this to people. "Ah so you figured it out. Just because we agreed not to harm your family doesn't mean we won't… play with them. How much would it hurt them to watch you suffer? Hm? For Lauren and the Reagan family to see the 'fun' you're having? How will Danny feel when he hears his beloved girlfriend scream in pain?"

"Shut up." He hoisted me up and dragged me toward a door where he removed my cuffs before he shoved me through. I stumbled in before turning around to look at him,

"Save your energy. You're going to need it." He shut the door and I heard a loud buzzer sound. I turned around and swore. Before me was only what I could describe as a maze from hell. There were four different passage ways in front of me and I could hear the sound of machinery hard at work. "There's numerous ways out, you just have to live through the challenges that each one provides." The voice over the com was definitely Jared,

"And if I don't go down any of them?" There was a zap of electricity from the floor that made me grit my teeth and hop from one foot to the other.

"Then we'll persuade you to move forward."

"You've had a lot of time to get this ready haven't you?" He laughed,

"Years actually. Now enough stalling, your time begins now." The floor crackled with electricity and I sprinted down the passage to the left. Right, left, left, right, right, left. I may have been hard to run because my clothes were still wet from the bucket of water but I was still running at full speed so when I ran around the next corner I hit the first "challenge" and couldn't stop. What I ran into was a section of broken glass. I had just run right over broken glass. I cringed as I came to a sudden, and very painful, stop. I let out a strangled gasp as I tried to clear some of the glass away to sit but found it difficult to do because there was so much and the shards varied from big chunks to little slivers. I saw the two cameras that were recording my every move and tried not to look like I was in pain. I took a deep breath and quickly pulled the shards out of my feet before carefully tip toeing my way through the glass. I bit my lip every time I stepped on a broken piece of glass. It took me several minutes to make my way through the glass. When I reached the other side I let out a breath I had been holding and pulled a few more shards out before I was zapped.

"I'm going!"

"Don't waste time, hurry now. The longer you take the worse your punishment will be if you fail." Quite frankly I didn't need to be told twice and I ran. Well, more like slipped and stumbled at a fast past. I was leaving bloody footprints as I went and it made it hard to run. Left, left, right, right, right, left, right, left, left. I was much slower going around corners now so not to repeat my first mistake. The next challenge I came across was a pool of water about five feet deep. That would be some relief to my aching feet. The draw back was that it was infested with leeches. I thought about how to get across it but apparently I took too long because I was shocked again and decided to go with my first plan. Move through it as quickly as possible without stopping. As soon as my feet touched the bottom leeches started to attach themselves to me. My feet, my arms, my stomach. Anywhere where flesh was exposed. I tried to keep my head above the water as much as possible but found it difficult when the bottom was so slippery and squishy. I fell a few times and one attached itself onto my neck and another on my cheek. After almost ten minutes I made it through and pulled myself out of the pool.

Immediately I began pulling leeches off and throwing them. I was shocked again and I cringed but never stopped pulling leeches off. Once I got them off my feet, legs, and stomach I stood up and started to run because the pain from the shock was too much. I pulled leeches off my arms, neck, and face as I ran. Right, left, left, left, right, left, right, right. I felt the temperature get increasingly hotter.

"Last challenge for now. Hurry, hurry, hurry. And do remember to keep it interesting. Remember your family will be watching this. We don't want to disappoint now do we?" When I went around the corner I found my last challenge waiting for me. My heart jumped into my throat. The room temperature had shot through the roof. It was so hot, and now I knew why. Because before me was a large metal plate with little holes in it and I could see the heat rising from it.

"Are you serious?!" He laughed,

"Very."

"An oven! You're going to burn me to a bloody crisp?!"

"No, more like grill the flesh off of your body. Now move!" There was a shock and I went with the first plan that came to mind. Run like hell. And I did. I took off at a dead sprint across the massive hot plate. Tears streamed down my face as the prolonged exposer made my feet blister and swell with pain. I was half way across when I stumbled and almost lost my balance. I had caught myself with my left hand and yelped as I shot up again and kept going. My hand literally felt like it was on fire. I stole a glance at it and saw the angry red, raw flesh. It made me wonder what my feet were going to look like. The end was in sight and I pushed myself harder. I couldn't withhold the scream that escaped my lips as I ran those last few yards. When I reached the other side I collapsed on the ground. There was nowhere else I had to go and I heaved for air. I slowly sat up and finally risked a glance at my feet. They were red, blistered, raw, swollen, and bloody. They looked like a mangled mess. I pulled off my top shirt, which was already covered in blood from the bullet wound, and ripped it in two before wrapping them around my feet. I cringed and bit my lip as I did so. And for a while I just sat there with my back against the wall. I took deep breaths trying to stay calm and not show the camera that I knew was watching me just how much pain I was in. I knew I probably wasn't fooling anybody. Especially Danny, he could always read me. Danny. All I wanted was to be wrapped in Danny's arms lying in bed after a long day at work. Those safe, comforting, loving arms. The door opened and the man from before came back in with Jared right behind him. The man came towards me with the cuffs and when he was close enough I took a cheap shot and nailed him in the crotch. He fell to the ground rolled around in pain. That was the extent of my energy and I leaned back against the wall and breathe heavily. Jared rolled his eyes,

"Solomon, you are **useless**." So that was his name. Well, Solomon got to his feet and punched me across the face sending me to the floor and closer to the hot plate. That was when an idea popped into my head. I summoned as much strength as I could, and when Solomon came at me again he grabbed me by my injured shoulder. I grimaced as I threw it into his gut before pulling his feet out from underneath him and he landed on his stomach. I then dragged him a foot or two forward and slammed the right side of his face onto the hot plate. He screamed and flailed about but surprisingly I held him down tightly. But I knew I would get out because of it and I was right when Jared pulled me back by my hair and threw me onto my back. Jared pulled Solomon up and when he turned around I saw the damage that I had down. Half of his face was blistered, swollen, and raw. He reminded me of Two Face from Batman. The angry look was quite evident on his hideous face as he charged me and threw his face into my face I heard a sickening crack as my head hit the ground and I wasn't sure if it was my nose or my head. I didn't have time to contemplate that as I passed out.

Danny was forced to go home but his Sarge allowed him to work on it unofficially. His dad's house had become a base and Jackie, Lauren, Jacob, Frank, Henry, Jamie, Erin, and the kids were all there. The kids were forced to stay upstairs as the adults went over the information they had. Danny was focusing all of his energy on finding her because if he stopped for one second he would lose it and break down again. Linda was in Florida on vacation with her boyfriend, but when Erin had called her she told her that they were coming home on the next flight. Danny was thankful because he didn't think he would be able to try and take care of the boys when he couldn't even take care of himself at the moment. They hadn't gotten a whole lot to go on. They knew who the daughter and lawyer were but they hadn't gotten any information as to where they were or who they really were. The foreign embassy had rejected their request for their files. Just when Danny thought he was going to lose it there was a knock at the door. Jamie went to the door and opened it but found nobody. Henry shouted,

"Who is it Jamie?"

"I dunno. There's nobody here." He looked at the ground and found a small black box with a white ribbon on it and a tag. "There's a package though." He picked it up and went back to the living room. The kids came back down the stairs to see what it was and everybody stared at the package in his hands. "It's addressed to the Reagan and Evan's families." Nobody said a word as he opened it. Erin furrowed her brow,

"It's a tape." Danny swallowed hard,

"Of what?" Frank sighed,

"I guess we'll have to find out." Jamie went over to the television and popped the tape into the old VSR player. Danny's blood ran cold when he saw that it was her and that she was in a chair with her hands cuffed and feet bound and that she was unconscious. A man came in to view and dumped water on her,

"That's him! That's the man that shot her and took her!" Jacob pointed at the screen. Danny saw the exchange between the two and how she used the opportunity she was given to get the upper hand before being kicked off. He realized the second man was Jared when she called him by name. When he said, 'You don't want out younger viewers to be offended do you?' Danny took in a sharp breath. This was part of his game. This was not only being filmed as a way of showcasing his handy work but he specifically was tailoring it for the family's benefit. Nicky took the boys hands,

"We need to leave boys." She quickly pulled Jack, Sean, and Ryan up the stairs and Danny was thankful because he didn't want his boys to see this. **He** didn't want to see this. He watched as she was shoved into a maze and he gripped the arms of the chair so tightly that his knuckles were white. He watched in horror as she made her way through broken glass and leeches without losing it. But when he saw her last challenge he thought he was going to be sick. Erin gripped his hand tightly. Nobody would blame him if he looked away or left but he couldn't. He couldn't do that to her. He needed to see this, he needed to know. He watched as she ran across the searing hot metal, he watched her stumble and catch herself. And when she screamed he felt tears roll involuntarily down his face. And when she pulled her shirt off to make makeshift bandages for her feet he could see her grimace and knew she was in a terrible amount of pain. He also saw the full extent of her bullet wound. It wasn't serious but if left unattended it could get worse. He couldn't help but feel some pride swell in him when she still fought back against this Solomon guy and used the hot metal plate as a weapon. But it was quickly turned into fear and sickness when she was thrown back and hit hard enough to make her pass out.

When the video ended no one said a word for a long time. Danny swallowed hard and put his head in his hands. He was losing control of his emotions again. He would have nightmares about this. He knew that. He would never get that out of his head and he would never be able to forgive himself for not keeping a closer eye on her. Frank cleared his throat,

"This isn't your fault Danny."

"Really?" Danny looked up at his dad with tears rolling down his cheeks. His voice cracked, "Because it feels like it is. If I had just… kept her closer. D-Didn't let her leave the house. Made her stay with you. I should've been able to keep her safe." Danny put his head back in his hands, "I should've kept her safe." Jamie squeezed his shoulder,

"They would've found a way Danny. You know that. They always do." Lauren pulled his hands away and made him look at her,

"Danny, this is **not **your fault. Nobody blames you. Certainly not Kyla. You she'd only tell you that there was nothing you could've done." Danny couldn't say anything because he was too choked up. Lauren stood up and Frank took her place.

"Dad…" His voice was soft and wavered and Frank saw that little seven year old boy who was scared of the dark staring back at him. Danny started to sob and Frank pulled his eldest son to him and held him tightly. Danny continued to sob into his chest and Frank held back his own tears,

"It'll be alright son. **She'll** be alright." This man who was strong and hardheaded, who never wore his heart on his sleeve, was an emotional wreck. The normally sarcastic and sometimes brash Danny was replaced by a broken man with a deep and agonizing heartache. There was no person in that room that wasn't shedding tears at the sight of the broken man before them and the thought of their battered and hurting Kyla going through all that pain. Each said a small prayer begging God for help and guidance. That Danny wouldn't fall apart before they found her. But most of all they prayed that Kyla would be alright and found soon, because if she wasn't found soon they feared that not only would they lose her but Danny as well.


	15. Fear is a powerful thing

When I woke again I found that I was alone and that I was chained to a hook in the floor. I tried to stand but when I had gotten on my feet I immediately fell back down. I had forgotten about my feet. I looked at my feet and found that they were still wrapped in my shirt and that my once white shirt was completely red. I sighed and merely lied back down on the cold hard floor. I looked around the room and tried to take in the details of everything. Even just a hint as to where I was besides just an abandoned meat packing warehouse. I needed to know **where**. There were crates everywhere, an assembly line, and machinery. There was loud clanging sound and before I knew it the machinery and assembly line came to life and then Jared and Solomon returned. Jared smiled at me,

"Time for round two."

Danny hadn't slept at all. His family had tried to get him to sleep even for an hour but he wouldn't. He couldn't. Every time he closed his eyes he thought of her either running over broken glass, swimming through leeches, or running over hot metal. He couldn't get her scream out of his head either. Her cries late at night after she'd had a nightmare. Her laugh, her smile, and the way her hair smelled. His mind had been completely taken over by thoughts of her. After three months of falling asleep with her in his arms every night he just couldn't try and sleep unless she was in his arms.

It was almost eight in the morning and Danny had been staring at a picture he had taken off the wall in the hall most of the night. It was one of his favorites. It was the night before he left for Iraq and Kyla had spent the night. Actually she had spent the whole week at his house and the first night Danny had found her on the couch with silent tears streaming down her face. He had taken her upstairs with him and after that night she had spent the rest of the week sleeping in Danny's bed. His parents thought it was adorable and his brothers teased him about it a bit but not too much because they knew it was hard for her. On the last night his mother had snuck into his room and took a picture of them while they slept. Kyla was lying on her side snuggled up to Danny with her head on his chest while he had his arm wrapped around her waist and his head was rested against hers. His mother had hung that picture up on the wall and it had been there ever since.

"That was your mother's favorite." Danny looked up from the photo to see his grandpa standing there,

"Mine too, gramps." Henry sat down next to him,

"Son, I know you're in a lot of pain, but you need to rest. You're no good to her if you can't think straight."

"I can't. Not without her in my arms." Henry shook his head,

"I understand. So does your father. We've both lost the woman we loved." Danny shook his head,

"I know… I just need to get her back. I need her with me. I need her safe."

"Danny, how safe do you think she is in this job? She's a cop, just like you. I'm sure she worries about you as well. Just as much probably."

"I get that the job comes with dangers, but I want her safe from this. From **them**. I want them gone for good… maybe then we could have a normal life." Henry chuckled,

"Life is never normal in this family." Frank came down the stairs and sat down on the other side of Danny,

"You didn't sleep any did you?" He shook his head,

"I can't stop thinking about her." Frank nodded and a silence fell over them for a while before Danny looked at him and said, "I wanna marry her, dad." Frank let a small smile form on his face,

"I know… I also know that she'll say yes." Henry chuckled,

"So, when we get her back you'll have to go looking for a ring." Danny let out a small chuckle,

"I already found the perfect ring." He smiled at his son before looking at his own father who smiled back at him. Erin came running down the stairs,

"We've got something." Danny shot up out of his seat,

"What?"

"The lawyer just contacted me and wants to meet with the judge and I to discuss Marcus Carmella and his seven other associates release." Jackie came barreling in the room soon after,

"The daughter just showed up at a hotel not far from the prison." Danny looked at his sister,

"Erin, you handle the lawyer. Jackie and I'll go see the daughter." Frank took hold of his son's arm and made him look at him,

"Be careful Danny." He nodded before heading out the door.

I gasped as I was dropped onto the hard, concrete floor. My head was spinning and I was getting ready to be sick. For the last twenty minutes I had been hauled by feet about fifteen or twenty feet in the air, I couldn't have been sure, after Solomon had used my face as his own personal punching bag again. My nose and mouth were dripping with blood as were my other wounds which made the three dogs that Jared had released **very **hungry. I had underestimated how high a dog could jump and there was more than one time where one got close enough that I could smell its breath. This time they did get a few screams from me. Not from pain, no they had me far enough up that I couldn't be bitten, but from fear. When they got close enough that I thought they were going to rip my neck open I couldn't help the shriek of terror that I had let out. I hated it, because all I could think about was how much this would hurt my family. When I started to lose consciousness from being upside down for so long Jared got rid of the dogs and I was brought back down.

"You have five minutes to catch your breath before we move on to our next little game." I took a deep breath,

"How kind." I got backhanded but I didn't mind so much. That little joke wasn't really meant for them. It was meant to try and give my family some form of comfort. Let them know I'm still able to make a joke or two. Try to not let them see how much pain I was in. I rolled onto my back and just lied there taking deep breaths. I stared at the ceiling and it was then that I noticed seagulls perched up by the window. I let out a chuckle. I was near the water. That was a start. My moment of rest ended though when I heard the distinct crack of a whip. I sat up fast and regretted it immediately. My body was sore and my head was still rather dizzy, but when it cleared I saw Jared standing there with a whip in hand and a smug look on his face,

"You remember this don't you? " He cracked it again and I couldn't help but flinch and back away slightly. He laughed, "Well, this is **your **game so I'm giving you a choice. Would you prefer twenty five lashes or running across the broken glass again?" I cringed at the thought. Neither one sounded appealing to me, but I knew that my feet couldn't take another run across broken glass. I swallowed the lump in my throat,

"The whip." He laughed,

"Now that did surprise me. I thought for sure you would've chosen the broken glass." I didn't say anything as he pulled me over to a small support beam. He chained my hands around it and chuckled, "Not much for cracks no are we?"

"My head's still spinning from being upside down with the dogs. But I'd rather have dogs than these God awful seagulls."

"Really, and why's that?"

"All birds are scavengers aren't they? They pick at things alive, dead, or dying. It's slow not quick like a dog ripping into you. That's probably why they love this place so much." He nodded,

"Indeed, all of this rotting meat makes a good meal for them." I smiled to myself, for a clever man Jared could be very stupid at times. He cracked the whip, "But enough stalling. Let's get down to business. You'll count them off as well." I nodded and did my best to stay standing on my sore feet.

"Okay." As soon as it left my mouth there was the harsh crack of the whip against my back, "One… two… three." At every crack I gritted my teeth and it became harder and harder to count. I gripped the pole tightly and had my head pressed against it trying to absorb the feeling of the cool metal. My back was aching but not as much as my feet and after the ninth crack I slid onto my knees, and on the fifteen crack I couldn't help the strangled sound that escaped my lips. I squeezed my eyes shut and bit my lip. I wouldn't scream. Not this time. Not when I knew that my family was going to see this. Not when I knew that Danny would be watching this. After the twenty fifth crack I let out a breath I had been holding.

"Impressive. You didn't scream at all." I took a deep breath,

"I've got thicker skin now." He chuckled,

"So you do. Well, we shall have to see just how much it will take to break that thick skin now won't we? Solomon will be back for you in an hour, and then we'll play our last little game for the day." He left me where I was with my arms cuffed around the pole and on my knees. I tried to calm my breathing and ignore the throbbing pain in my back. If there was any plus side it was that the pain in my back was far more prominent than my feet were at the moment. I just lied there on my knees with my head pressed against the cool metal pole and my eyes shut. I had one hour to gather as much strength as possible.

When Jackie and Danny pulled up to the hotel they quickly went to the front desk. An older, gnarly looking woman was behind the counter,

"Can I help you?" They showed her their badges but she still didn't care. Danny was already anxious and her uncaring attitude didn't help matters,

"Nicoletta Carmella. What room?"

"Listen, nobody signed in under that name. So you'll have to-" Danny slammed his fist down on the desk before pulling a picture out of her,

"Her! What room!" The woman started to get an attitude,

"Look you-"

"That's it." Jackie pulled her gun out and pointed it at her, "My partner here won't do this but I will. Now what room!" The woman scrambled through her books,

"Ah, f-forty two! She's in room forty two!" Danny raced up the steps and Jackie followed. When they got closer Jackie pulled on Danny's arm,

"Danny, we can't just burst in and hold a gun to her. We need her to tell us the truth. We need her to like us. To like **you**. So try to keep it together as long as possible." He nodded,

"I've got it Jack."

"Do you?" He gave her a look,

"Yes, now come on. Let's get this over with." Danny pounded on the door, "Police open up."

"Just… let me do the talking alright?"

"No promises." The door opened to reveal a young woman with light brown hair and blue eyes,

"Can I help you?" She had a thick Italian accent and seemed rather frightened. Jackie spoke quickly so Danny didn't scare her any more,

"NYPD," She pulled out her badge and showed her, "Can we ask you a few questions?" She shook her head,

"I'm not to talk to police. Not without lawyer." Danny sighed and Jackie shot him a look,

"Please, it's just a few questions. An officer was shot and kidnapped and we need help finding her. Please. It'll only take a few minutes." The girl thought about it for a moment before nodding and opening the door wider, "Thank you." Jackie and Danny entered the small room and the girl quickly shut the door and locked it before sitting down on the bed,

"What do you want to know?"

"What's your name?"

"Isabella." Danny let out a frustrated sigh and ran a hand over his face. Jackie ran a hand through her hair,

"We know that's not the name you came into the country with." The girls eyes widened and she shook her head more violently,

"No, no it is. My name is Isabella De Luca." Danny snapped a bit,

"Then why did your passport say Nicoletta Carmella?" Jackie tried to calm him down,

"Easy Danny." She looked at the girl, "Why did you lie?" She started shaking,

"Leon said not to tell people my name."

"Why?"

"He said if people knew who I am that I can be hurt or killed. That lot of people hate my father. That police hate him, and that police hate me." Jackie shook her head,

"We don't hate you."

"You hate my father though?" Jackie sighed but nodded,

"Yeah, we do. But we don't hate you." She was still shaking as she pointed at Danny,

"He does. I know what angry man look like. Man who want to hurt people." Jackie shook her head,

"He's just worried is all. He doesn't hate you. **Do** you Danny." Danny took a deep breathe,

"No, I don't hate you." She shook her head again,

"You lie." That made Danny even more frustrated and Jackie saw this,

"Danny, go outside."

"Jack-"

"**Go** outside Danny. I'll deal with this." Danny gave Jackie a long hard look before heading toward the door. He slammed it shut behind him making the girl jump,

"You see? He hate me." Jackie shook her head,

"He's concerned."

"About what?" Jackie sighed,

"Remember that cop I told you about?" She shook her head, "Well, she's our friend. She's also his girlfriend, and we **really** need to find her."

"Is that why he so angry?" She nodded,

"He loves her and he's very scared about losing her. So could you please answer a few questions for me?" She hesitated but nodded,

"Okay. I try to help." Jackie let out a breath she had been holding,

"Good."

Danny sat in the car staring out the window. He was irritated and angry. He pulled his phone out and called his sister. It rang and rang but there was no answer,

"Hey sis it's me, I was just looking for an update on the whole lawyer thing. Give me a call when you get this." He hung up and sighed. He stared at his phone for a long time. The picture he had set as his background was of him, Kyla, and the boys. He missed her so much and it was killing him that he wasn't able to help her. He was pulled from his thoughts though when Jackie opened the door and got in, "What'd she say?"

"That she's meeting with the lawyer tomorrow and that he's trying to get the trial moved to an earlier date."

"How early?"

"This week." Danny cursed,

"Can they do that without Kyla?" Jackie shrugged,

"That's something you need to ask Erin."

"She's not answering."

"She also said that she's supposed to see her father before the trial as well."

"What about all this father daughter crap?" Jackie sighed,

"She says she's really his daughter." Danny slammed his hand against the dashboard, "Calm down! I know you're angry, so am I. But you can't lose it like that. I asked her if she'd be willing to do a blood test to confirm if she's really his daughter and she agreed to do it. When I asked her about if she was kidnapped by the two cops she said that her lawyer said she wasn't supposed to talk about that. Then she said she thought she said too much, got scared, told me I needed to leave… you get the picture." Danny sighed,

"Yeah, how are we gonna get this blood test? We'll need to get his permission or get Erin to cut through the red tape and get us one." Jackie started the car,

"Well, let's head over to the prison. See if we can talk to Mr. Carmella and get his permission."

Nicky was waiting for her friend at their usual lunch table but there was no sign of her. She usually was there before her.

"Sorry I'm late." Diane put her tray down across from her and sat down,

"Hey, what took you so long?"

"One of the substitute teachers had stopped me and asked me to give you something. Said it was for your uncle Danny." Nicky furrowed her brow as her friend dug through her backpack,

"What is it?"

"A disc of some kind. I dunno if it's a CD or a DVD but-"

"What?! Give it to me now!" Her friend pulled it out and Nicky snatched it out of her hand,

"Hey what-"

"What was the sub's name?"

"Huh?"

"His name! What was name! What did he look like? Where did he go?"

"Uh, he's subbing for Mr. Kier. Said his name was Mr. Carmella."

"Okay, what'd he look like?"

"Nicky what is this about?"

"Just tell me what he looked like!"

"Uh, tall. Black hair, green eyes, he seemed nice."

"Okay, where'd he go?"

"I don't know, Nicky **what** is going on?" Nicky started to dial her uncle's number,

"He's not a teacher."

"Who is he then?"

"He's one of the guys who are torturing my uncle's girlfriend." The phone rang for a few seconds before Danny picked up,

"Hello?"

"Uncle Danny!"

"Nicky, what's wrong?"

"I've got another DVD."

"What?"

"A sub gave my friend a DVD to give to me for you. He called himself Mr. Carmella."

"Nicky I want you to go to the office. You **stay** with somebody okay? I'm gonna call the school and tell them to go into lock down. Then I'm gonna Jamie and have him get over there as soon as possible with the police. You don't go with **anybody** you don't know. Including the police officers. You wait for Jamie. Got it?"

"I've got it Uncle Danny."

"I'll be over as soon as possible alright?"

"Okay."

"Alright, now go!" Nicky hung up the phone and looked at her friend,

"I've gotta go."

"Nicky-" But Nicky was already up and running toward the office.

Danny looked at Jackie,

"Those scumbags are at my niece's school."

"Dear God…"

"One of 'em gave her friend another DVD for me."

"Well let's go then, I can-"

"No, Jack, you stay here. We need him to agree to take a blood test and you and I both know it'd be better if I wasn't around. I'd probably kill him." Jackie hesitated,

"Alright, but you call me when you find something out."

"Got it." Danny turned and headed for the door before calling the school and then his younger brother.

Jamie had made it to the school in less than ten minutes with a several other cruisers behind him. After he got the suspect's description and the officers were out searching the premises he went and found Nicky. She was a little shaken up but not as much as he thought she would be. He kept her close and when the sweep came back with no sign of the suspect he cursed. When the officers then started to expand their search outside of the school Danny arrived. He quickly met up with Jamie and Nicky. He hugged them both before Nicky handed him the disc. The principle let them use his computer to watch it.

"Nicky you shouldn't see this."

"I want to."

"Nicky-"

"Uncle Danny she's family and I want to know what they're doing to her. I want to be able to understand and help her."

"This isn't a movie Nicky. I don't know what's on here, but I do know that it's gonna be gruesome and could stick with you for the rest of your life."

"I know, but isn't that what cops live with every day? Seeing gruesome things and having it stick with them? If I'm going to be a cop than I better get used to it right? It's going to stick with you for forever too." Danny sighed and looked at his brother for help. Jamie shrugged,

"She's not a kid anymore Danny. And she's right; if she's going to be a cop then she's going to see this kind of stuff." Danny groaned,

"Your mom's gonna kill me."

"I'll tell her I forced you to let me watch it."

"Yeah, nice try." Danny put the disc in and held his breath. Nicky took hold of his hand and squeezed it. The first thing they saw was Solomon hitting Kyla in the face. Danny felt anger flare inside of him at the sight. When he was done there was some blood on the floor but not a whole lot. Then he wrapped the chains around her legs and torso pinning her arms to her body before pulling her up into the air. Blood fell from her nose and mouth and splattered onto the ground. Solomon left and not five minutes later did the sound of dogs barking reach their ears. The three Reagan's watched in horror as the dogs licked the blood off the floor before jumping and trying to reach her. There were a few times where they came very close to biting her neck and those were she would scream. That lasted for almost fifteen minutes before she started to pass out. The dogs were called back and she was put back on the ground. Jared walked up to her,

"You have five minutes to catch your breath before we move on to our next little game."

"How kind." He hit her and Danny clenched his fist. Five minutes later there was a crack from a whip and Danny's blood ran cold,

"You remember this don't you? " He cracked it again and she flinched and backed away some. Jared laughed, "Well, this is your game so I'm giving you a choice. Would you prefer twenty five lashes or running across the broken glass again?" Danny knew that her feet were in bad shape but he also knew how badly that whip had hurt her.

"The whip." Danny felt his stomach churn,

"Now that did surprise me. I thought for sure you would've chosen the broken glass." She didn't say anything, "Not much for cracks no are we?"

"My head's still spinning from being upside down with the dogs. But I'd rather have dogs than these God awful seagulls."

"Really, and why's that?"

"All birds are scavengers aren't they? They pick at things alive, dead, or dying. It's slow not quick like a dog ripping into you. That's probably why they love this place so much." He nodded,

"Indeed, all of this rotting meat makes a good meal for them." He cracked the whip, "But enough stalling. Let's get down to business. You'll count them off as well." she nodded and managed to get to her feet.

"Okay." Then there was the crack of the whip and she began to count. Danny wanted to be sick, Nicky almost was. She was trying her best to hold back sobs but by the seventh one she had her head buried into Jamie's chest. She still held on to Danny's hand though. Jamie was trying to hold it together as well though a few tears rolled down his cheeks despite his efforts. Danny almost wished she'd chosen the glass. This was almost too much for him after seeing her being whipped the first time. But she never screamed. Not once did she scream and he knew she wanted to but she wouldn't scream. Not when she knew that they'd be watching.

"Impressive. You didn't scream at all."

"I've got thicker skin now." He chuckled,

"So you do. Well, we shall have to see just how much it will take to break that thick skin now won't we? Solomon will be back for you in an hour, and then we'll play our last little game for the day." Jared left her chained to the pole and Danny could see the blood begin to pool at her knees. Nicky looked at the screen now and hiccupped a few times,

"Pause it." Danny paused the video, "G-go back to the p-part before she was whipped." Jamie looked at her,

"Why?"

"It was something she said." Nicky wiped her face off, "A-about the birds. She said all birds are scavengers. She's wrong, some are predatory. She knew that, she helped me with my project on the animal kingdom in science class." Danny's heart thudded in his chest as he rewound the video.

"My head's still spinning from being upside down with the dogs. But I'd rather have dogs than these God awful seagulls."

"Really, and why's that?"

"All birds are scavengers aren't they? They pick at things alive, dead, or dying. It's slow not quick like a dog ripping into you. That's probably why they love this place so much

"Indeed, all of this rotting meat makes a good meal for them. But enough stalling-" Danny paused it and Nicky pointed at the screen,

"See what I mean!" Danny looked at her in shock before looking at Jamie,

"She's right; Kyla's trying to tell us where she is." Jamie nodded,

"She said she'd prefer the dogs over the seagulls so that's gotta mean she's near water." Danny nodded,

"Right, and Jared said something about rotting meat. Now the place they're holding her in must be pretty big to be able to have a maze in it. So it's gotta be a warehouse or a factory. I'll call Jackie after we finish the video and get her to start looking for all abandoned or shut down meat warehouses, storage buildings, and factories near the water. Let's see if she gives us any more clues." He pulled Nicky into a hug and kissed the side of her head, "Nice job Nick; you'll make a great detective someday." They went back to the video which cut out the hour that she slept through before returning with Jared pulling her up and unchaining her.

"Last one for the day." He pulled her towards two rooms, "And here's another choice for you to make. You must be feeling lonely so I've decided to be a kind man and let you have an hour with one of our animal friends." Solomon opened one of the doors and Kyla let out a strangled sob. It was filled with snakes. She began to pull against him and he held onto her tightly, "You don't like snakes? Well then let's show you what's behind the second door." Solomon opened the second door and Kyla began to shake. Bats. "You don't like bats either? Aw, poor things. But, you have to choose. Will it be the snakes or the bats?" Danny really felt sick now. He knew that snakes and bats were the only two animals in the world that terrified her. He made her cry when she was eighteen because he threw a gardener snake at her and it went down her shirt. He had never done something like that again. He watched as she trembled,

"B-bats." Jared pushed her towards Solomon who shoved her into the room.

"Oh, and did I mention… you'll be in the dark as well?"

"What?! No!" And with that the door was shut and the lights went off. A few seconds later there was a series of screams and Jared and Solomon laughed. The last video was all about the pain. This one was all about the fear. Nicky ran out of the room with her hand over her mouth as she was going to be sick and Jamie went after her, leaving Danny alone to listen to her screams and their laughter. These were the sounds that would fill his nightmares.


	16. Breaking Point

After Danny had called Jackie she immediately got to work looking for buildings that fit what they were looking for. When he asked her about whether or not Marcus Carmella agreed to a blood test she told him he said no. They had figured he'd say no so Danny told her that he would talk to Erin about what to do next. Erin was ticked at Danny and Jamie both for letting Nicky watch the video. She had let them both have it and even smacked them both upside the head. However, she was proud of her daughter for catching Kyla's hint. The rest of the family had been notified about the video and Frank told Danny he wanted to see it. Danny tried to tell him not to but his dad wouldn't have it. He said that he needed to see it so that when the time came he could help not only Kyla but him as well. So Danny agreed. Erin told him that the judge had agreed to move the court date up.

"How soon?"

"The day after tomorrow. We have two day. Two days!" Jackie shook her head,

"Something's not right there." Erin nodded,

"I can't get him to wait. But, I was able to get you that blood test." Danny clapped his hands

"Good, Jack you get the girl and I'll get Marcus." Jack gave him an uneasy look,

"Danny, are you sure that's a good idea? You alone with him." Before Danny could say anything Jamie cut in,

"Who said he was going alone?" Danny looked at his brother,

"You sure about this kid?"

"More than ever." Danny clapped him on the back,

"Alright, let's go then."

I felt so sick. My head was pounding and I just wanted to curl into a ball and sleep. I knew what this feeling was. It was a feeling when one loses the will to go on. My mind was still fighting back, constantly reminding me of what I need to fight for, to live for. However, my body was shutting down against my will. My muscles ached and the pain was becoming a numbing sensation that was also extremely painful. It had only been three days and I felt as bad as I did after five days in the basement at the Carmella's home. I just wanted to go home. I just wanted to see my family. To laugh with Lauren while taking photos in the rain. Watching films with Nicky and Erin late into the night. I had promised to go fishing with Jamie as well. I hadn't finished my story of King Arthur for the boys either. And Danny… I wanted nothing more than to just be held by him. I couldn't stand being away from him any longer. I could hear the sound of feet walking towards me but I made no move to acknowledge them,

"It's time for round three." Solomon unchained me and hoisted me up onto my feet and shoved me forward. This did nothing except make me stumble and fall onto my knees. I cringed and gritted my teeth. I was in too much pain to move, "Get up." I didn't move, "I said get up!" I tried to get up but merely succeeded in taking a few steps before falling back onto my knees. He growled before kicking me in the ribs which sent me sliding across the floor.

"Easy Solomon."

"Jared, she won't move."

"Can't you see? We're breaking her. She still has that fiery spirit but her body is too weak to let her do anything. It's only a matter of time now before her spirit breaks as well." I gave a small chuckle,

"As long as I have reason to live than I will do just that. Live." Jared smiled,

"Well, after today we'll see just how much reason you have left. Solomon, carry her." Solomon picked me up and carried me like I was a rag doll. When we came to another room he dropped me on the ground. "You have another choice to make. Pain or fear?" I stared at him for a long time and contemplated my options. My body couldn't take much more of a beating and yet I couldn't stand the thought of going through what I had the other day. I swallowed hard,

"Pain." Jared nodded,

"I expected that to be your answer. Very well then, I have something new in store for you." He walked over to a table and picked up a vey sharp knife. I swallowed hard, "I've seen it done for ritualistic purposes but now, well, I'll be using it for a **different** sort of ritual. You see, they made very elegant and beautiful carvings on one another. Mine will be far less beautiful, far more memorable, and **far** more painful." Solomon hauled me back up and put me on a cold metal table. He went to chain my wrists to the table when Jared shook his head, "She won't need those. You won't be fighting me will you?" I said nothing and he chuckled, "She knows the more she struggles the more painful it will be." I shut my eyes and took a deep breath and Jared got to work.

When Danny and Jamie arrived at the prison they were granted permission to take a blood test as long as he didn't leave the prison. They were also allowed to be alone. **That** was from their father. He knew that nobody would've allowed him to be alone with Marcus in a room unless the Commissioner ordered it. Danny stood outside the room for a moment and took a deep breath. Jamie squeezed his shoulder,

"You ready?"

"Yeah, let's get this over with." Jamie opened the door and the two walked in. There in chains was Marcus Carmella. The man who haunted Kyla's dreams and was responsible for what Jared was doing to her right now. Anger began to burn in Danny as he got closer to him. Danny had a very hard look on his face, his jaw was clenched and his hands were clenched into fists as his eyes were solely focused on Marcus.

Jamie had to keep an eye on not only his own temper but Danny's as well. Jamie wanted nothing more than to pump a whole round into the man before him, but he knew that Danny wanted to do more than just kill him. He watched as Danny and Marcus stared at one another. Marcus was all smiles and eventually he spoke first,

"I presume you have a warrant for the blood test then?" Danny said nothing as he tried to keep from killing the man so Jamie spoke up,

"Yes, it'll take a few minutes and then we'll be gone." Jamie got to work on getting the blood test ready. Marcus grinned at Danny,

"Are you going talk to me Danny or just sit there and glare at me all day? Anything? No? Well, then how about I talk. I can tell you a lovely story I know. I heard it just the other day. There was a young woman, let's call her Kyla, and-"

"Shut up." Danny growled and Marcus' grin grew,

"Now Danny it's rude to interrupt. Kyla was having a great time with her family when the pizza guy came along. Only he wasn't really a pizza guy. He-"

"I said shut up." Danny gripped the table in front of him so tightly that his knuckles were white. Jamie jammed the needle hard into Marcus' arm but he didn't even seem to notice,

"**BANG**! Right in the shoulder. Taken to be tortured yet again because her boyfriend couldn't protect her. Blood pouring out of her with every blow. Screaming and crying." Danny had him up and against the wall now,

"Shut up!"

"Falling in and out of consciousness, wondering whether she'll die or be saved. Feeling all that pain a second time can drive anybody mad. It can make anybody wish for death." Danny slammed him against the wall again,

"Where is she?!"

"Bleeding somewhere because **you **didn't protect her. She's screaming your name Danny. She's waiting for you to come and rescue her." He punched him in the nose causing it to bleed profusely,

"You did this to her! You know where she is!" Jamie pulled Danny off of him and tried to push him towards the door,

"Listen to her screams Danny because they're all for you! Every single terrified shriek and cry of pain is all because of **you**!" Danny growled as he fought against his brother but Jamie somehow managed to get him out the door as Marcus laughed. Jamie pulled Danny outside and Danny took a deep breath and put his head in his hands. Jamie was breathing hard after having just dragged his angry older brother out of the building,

"You were gonna kill him."

"No, because I knew you would be the sane one and keep me from killing him." Jamie shook his head with a chuckle,

"Come on, let's get this lab." Danny followed his brother to the car and the two sped off.

I breathed heavily as I felt my body ache with pain. The carvings were deep and painful. Surprisingly enough he didn't cover me with them like I had expected. Another surprise was that he had left my tattoos in tack. I didn't question it though. I had a large spiral carving on my right calf and a long curving one that went from just below my hip bone up the top of my rib cage. There was one other carving that Jared had down. It was the one that he had taken the most pleasure and pride from. The most painful and the most memorable. On my back, near my left shoulder blade, he had carved "Carmella" into my flesh. If I lived through this it would heal but the scar would still be there, and I would forever carry the Carmella name with me as a constant reminder. I had been left on the table lying on my stomach. I was in so much pain but I knew that I needed to get up. I needed to try and find a way out.

Slowly I pushed my self up. My muscles ached and my arms trembled as I sat up. When I was sitting up I felt my head spin and I became very dizzy. I had to grip the edge of the table so not to fall off. I looked around slightly for an exit or a window but I saw none. I saw a hallway to the left and thought it best to head that way. When my head had stopped spinning, I gently edged myself off of the table. I bit my lip to keep from crying out in pain when my feet touched the ground. I was still gripping the table and when I let go and put my full weight on my feet I felt my knees become weak. I gripped the table again trying to keep myself standing. I took a deep breath and let go and tried to take a few steps forward. I concentrated on just putting one foot in front of the other.

I had made it halfway to the hallway when I felt my knees start to go weak and the pain in my feet grew. I managed to get myself to a crate where I sat down on it and took deep breaths and tried to stay upright and steady. I noticed something though while I was sitting there. There was a collection of tools lying next to the crate across from me. I stood up slowly and stumbled my way over to it. I rooted through them and couldn't believe my luck. There was an ice pick and wire. I stashed them both in my pockets and looked for the camera's there were three near the table and two near the hallway. I didn't see one pointed at me so I thought I was okay for now. I tried to make it to the hallway again and actually succeeded in getting to it. Now I knew that it would only be a matter of time before I was found so I had to move quickly. I steady myself against the wall and tried to make it as quickly and quietly as I could down the hall without being noticed. I could hear a voice and stopped. I held my breath as I listened and I found it to be a one sided conversation. Somebody was on the phone. I made my way towards the voice and found another room. It was different from any of the other ones that I had been in. Solomon was talking on the phone with his back to me. I quietly took out the wire and wrapped the ends around my hands. I knew that I would probably cut my own hands but I needed a good grip and I doubted that I would be able to get him with ice pick in one shot.

Once he hung up he went back to eating his sandwich and listening to the radio. Quietly I crept up behind him. My heart was pounding in my ears as I got closer. Once I was right behind him I lifted my arms and quickly wrapped the wire around his throat and pulled. He gasped as he pulled at the wire before scratching at my hands trying to pull me off. I cringed as he started thrashing about and he backed me up into a wall. I didn't let go though even as the wire dug into my own hands. I held on with all might. Slowly he stopped thrashing and I heard one more gurgling sound before he became limp. I let go of him and the wire. My hands were bleeding but I just wiped them off on my shirt. I looked at the limp Solomon. I had killed him. I actually killed him. It almost seemed impossible that I was actually able to do that without him knowing. I shook my head though to snap myself out of my thoughts and fell to my knees as I started to rummage through his pockets,

"Please, please, please… Oh please God let him have a cell phone." I went through both of his pockets and found nothing then I checked his jacket and found a cell phone, "Thank you God." I pulled it out and dialed the first number that came to mind. It rang and rang, "Pick up, pick up… come on."

"Danny Reagan." I let out a strangled sob as tears came to my eyes and a smile crossed my face, "Hello?"

"Danny."

"Kyla, baby girl is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me. Listen, I don't know how much time I have before Jared finds me but I had to call you."

"Where are you?"

"I don't know. I know that I'm in a meat packing warehouse or a factory. I'm not sure which."

"Somewhere near the water. We got that from the video." I smiled,

"You got the clue."

"Nicky figured it out. Baby girl, do you know anything else about where you are? Anything at all?" I looked around the room and found nothing to help me,

"No, I haven't been able to find anything else. I-I killed Solomon. This is his phone I'm using."

"Can you escape?" I could hear the hope in his voice and it made my heart break because I knew that my answer was going to kill him,

"Danny, I love you."

"Baby girl please answer me, can you escape?" I bit my lip as tears started to roll down my cheeks,

"No." It came out like a whisper, "I don't know how to get out. There are cameras everywhere. It was a struggle just to get this far. Danny, please, I need you to do something for me… in case I… in case I don't make it out of this."

"No, Kyla…" His voice cracked with emotion, "Don't do this." Hot tears started pouring down my face,

"Danny, I don't know how much more of this I can take. I'm so tired and I hurt so much. I need you to tell Lauren she was never just my cousin, she was my sister and I love her, and the rest of the family… tell them I-I love them too. And that they're the best family I could've asked for. Tell Erin, Linda, and Jackie that they were the best friends a girl could have… Tell the boys I love them."

"Kyla… please. I need you to hold on… I can't… I can't lose you. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for all of this." I heard the amount of pain in his voice and knew that he was wreck. That was the problem, I knew him too well to know just from his voice that he wasn't alright, "I should've been there. I should've protected you."

"Shut up. Don't you dare blame this on yourself you hear me? This is not your fault. Danny… I love you." There was a muffled sob on the other end,

"I love you too Kyla. I love you with all of my heart. I promise you that I am going to find you. I coming for you baby girl. Hold on."

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" I gasped as I looked over my shoulder and saw an enraged Jared standing there,

"Baby girl, what's happening?" I gripped the phone tightly as he stalked towards me,

"You stupid woman!" I could help the small shriek of surprise that escaped my lips as he backhand me hard across the face sending me to the floor. The phone slid away from me and Jared yanked me up to my feet, "You killed him!" I spit in his face and he growled before slamming me against the wall, "You'll pay for that, and for killing Solomon." He was using his body to pin me to the wall and I cursed when he found the ice pick in my pocket. He chuckled darkly before dropping me heading towards the phone,

"No… Danny!" He smirked at me before picking up the phone off the floor,

"Kyla! Kyla! Are you there?"

"She's busy at the moment."

Danny gritted his teeth together,

"What have you done with her you son of a bi-"

"If you lose your temper with me Reagan I'll lose my temper with her even more than I already have." Danny fell silent at that. Jared chuckled, "I thought that would shut you up." Jamie had already called in to the station to have a trace put on the phone.

"Let her go." Jared barked out a laugh,

"No, I don't think so. You see, we're not finished with our little game yet. There's still much to do, and now that I don't have a partner any more I'll have to come up with a punishment worthy of the crime."

"Don't touch her. I am going to end you Jared you hear me?"

"Until you do I want you to hear something." The line went quiet and Danny became worried,

"Jared?" He heard scuffling and whimpering, "Kyla?" Then there was a loud ear piercing scream that made your skin crawl followed by the sounds of crying. Danny felt the lump in his throat grow and he couldn't breathe. "Kyla!" There was another scream and it was all Danny could do not the scream himself. There was the soft sound of crying in the background as Jared picked up the phone again,

"You've heard what happens when I lose my temper. Soon enough you'll see it as well." And with that he hung up,

"Hello? Jared? Kyla?" He cursed as he hit the dashboard. He had tears running down his face and his heart was shattered. Jamie drove faster. They had just left the lab when Kyla called. Jamie came to a screeching halt outside of Danny's precinct. Both of them got out and ran into the building. When they got to the tech guys Danny practically shouted, "Did you get it? Did you get her location?" The tech shook he head with a sad expression,

"I'm sorry but we didn't get it." Danny cursed and punched the closest thing which happened to be a filing cabinet. He screamed as he punched it three times before Jamie pulled him into a bone crushing hug. It broke Jamie's hurt to see his brother hurting so much and it hurt him as well to know that they were so close to finding her and yet so far as well. "There is some good news though." Danny was still holding on tightly to his younger brother and Jamie knew that Danny wouldn't be able to talk so he spoke up,

"What is it?"

"Well, the signal was being bounced around between three cell towers."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that the signal is somewhere between the three towers." Danny pulled away from his brother and wiped his eyes. Hope was building in him again as Jamie looked at him,

"We know she's in a meat packing warehouse or factory near the water. And now we know what area. We're getting close Danny." Danny nodded but didn't say anything because he didn't trust his voice. Jackie had gotten back from the lab and when she saw Danny's red eyes, bloody hand, and the dented filing cabinet she knew something was wrong,

"What happened?" Jamie filled her and when he finished she asked about what Kyla said. Danny swallowed hard and told them everything she had said. "We have to move fast. The lab said that they would have the results to us in a couple of hours. It became their number one and only priority by order of the commissioner."

The hours couldn't have passed fast enough. There were at least fifteen warehouses and factories that were in that area. Ten were abandoned and six of them they didn't even know what they once were. Four of them were specifically meat warehouses. They had cops checking out the other six unknown ones and they focused on the ones they had. Two of them were right next to the water. They thought about how far the two warehouses were in comparison to where Danny's apartment was and decided that they would go to the closer one and send a team to the other one. They needed to get the warrant for both buildings though and were giving the run around by the owners. Apparently the one owner couldn't speak at the moment because he was on "vacation" as his legal representative had told them. Jackie's phone rang and she was quick to answer it.

"Great what were the results?" Danny and Jamie watched her closely. Confusion spread across her face, "What? No, no, no that can't be possible... Did you double check... Five times. Okay… yeah… thanks." She hung up the phone and sat there in shock for a moment. Jamie looked at her,

"Well what did they say?" She looked at him before looking at Danny,

"It matches."

"What?"

"The blood test came back positive." Danny rubbed his temples,

"How can that be? There was never a daughter and even if she is Kyla and Micah never took her hostage." Jackie shrugged,

"They tested it five times and it came back positive every time. Isabella De Luca, Nicoletta Carmella whatever her name is… she's Marcus Carmella's daughter." Danny groaned and ran a hand over his face.

"This can't be happening." Just then Henry showed up, "Grandpa? What are you doing here?" He had a grave look on his face and held up a tape. Danny ran a hand over his face, "Great, more good news."

"It showed up at the house. Your father's on his way." And just as the words left his mouth his father walked through the door. The room came to attention and he dismissed them. Danny's Sarge led them into his office. Henry put the tape in and the six of them watched as she was roughly pulled about and when she couldn't walk Solomon had kicked her. When Jared had given her the choice of pain or fear he knew which one she would choose and he was right when she chose pain. He grimaced as Jared started to carve into her skin. Blood poured out of the carvings and Danny was beginning to feel sick.

They watched as she tried to make her way to the hallway. She was out of frame for a few minutes but came back in frame not long after in the hallway. Then they saw Solomon standing there on his phone with a sandwich in one hand. They watched as she crept up behind him and when he hung up she pulled out a wire and then began to choke him with it. The wire buried itself in his neck and he thrashed about but she held on and in the end she won. When she let go of the wire there was blood seeping out of her hands from where she held on but she wiped it off. Danny stiffened some when she pulled the phone out of his pocket. He was about to find out what had happened. He swallowed hard as watched her talk to him. He was reliving the conversation they had had earlier. He saw her smile when he answered the phone. And when she bit her lip and a sad look crossed her face when she told him she couldn't escape.

Then came the moment he had been waiting for. Jared entered the room without her knowing and he stared at the bloody heap that was Solomon and then at her and he became angry. When he shouted at her and smacked her across the face and the phone went flying across the floor. When he pinned her against the wall they saw him look down and then back at her as an evil, twisted smile crawled its way onto his face. Her eyes widened as he dug in her pocket and pulled out an ice pick.

Danny became pale as he watched him pick up the phone. Kyla was down on the floor again and he could see how tired she was and how frightened she was as she watched Jared twirling the ice pick around,

"Until you do I want you to hear something." Danny's heart began to hammer against his rib cage as he sat the phone down and moved toward Kyla. He saw him tank her up and heard her whimper as he held tightly by the shoulder before taking the ice pick and jamming it hard into her thigh. He saw the blood pouring out of her leg when he pulled it out before he jammed it into her other thigh and she screamed again. He dropped her on the ground and picked the phone up again, "You've heard what happens when I lose my temper. Soon enough you'll see it as well." He hung up the phone and threw it against the wall next to her making it shatter into a pieces. He then threw the ice pick away before picking her up again, "That wasn't a wise move on your part. You think he can save you? That after this you'll live happily ever after? Not if I can help it."

He looked at the camera and grinned before sitting her down in a nearby chair and making her look at the camera, "I don't want to leave Danny out of our little game so why don't you scream for him? Hm? Just a little scream. Maybe his name even. Won't that be memorable?" She said nothing and he glared at her, "I said **scream**." He dug his fist into the fresh wound on her thigh and she bit her lip in an effort to keep from screaming as tears streamed down her face. He pressed harder and she couldn't hold back the scream of agony the ripped through her. Danny's heart was in so much turmoil and he felt so sick. Then Jared let up a bit, "His name." She took a deep breath and tried her best to glare at him through her tears,

"No." He pushed down on her wound again and she cringed but refused to do as he asked,

"His name."

"No." It came out weak as he increased the pressure,

"His name!" He pressed even harder and she couldn't hold back,

"DANNY!" In that moment Danny lost it. He quickly knelt down next to the trash can by the desk and proceeded to lose everything in his stomach. He kept retching until he was dry heaving. Jared had stopped and the tape ended. Danny was on his knees trying his best to breathe deeply but he still felt so sick. His brother, father, grandpa, Sarge, and Jackie were all around him trying to help him but they couldn't. Marcus' words came back to haunt him.

"_Blood pouring out of her with every blow. Screaming and crying. Falling in and out of consciousness, wondering whether she'll die or be saved. Feeling all that pain a second time can drive anybody mad. It can make anybody wish for death."_ Danny's body began to shake with anger and pain as he thought about what he had said, _"Bleeding somewhere because you didn't protect her. She's screaming your name Danny. She's waiting for you to come and rescue her. Listen to her screams Danny because they're all for you! Every single terrified shriek and cry of pain is all because of __**you**__!"_ He was right. Those screams were meant for him. She was screaming his name and he was helpless to stop her pain. No, not anymore. Warrant or not he wasn't waiting any longer. He was going to find her and he was going to end both Marcus and Jared for what they had done to her. He was going to save his baby girl or die trying.


	17. A person can only take so much pain

My arms were killing me. Jared had decided that I couldn't be left unchained and had me cuffed again. However, this time he had taken me to a large freezer which still had meat hooks hanging from the ceiling. My feet were at least four or five feet off the ground and the cuffs were digging into my wrists. He had left me hanging on the meat hook for a long time, and I had drifted in and out of sleep each time it became a little harder to wake up. I was so cold. Part of me thought that to be a good thing because it made the pain less noticeable. I also knew that I could freeze to death if I stayed here too long. That was starting to sound appealing. I shook the thought from my head. Danny, think of Danny. I smiled a little to myself as I thought about the day that Danny and I took the boys to the zoo. That was almost a month ago now. We had spent the whole day together, just the four of us with absolutely no interruptions. We had seen just about every single animal in the zoo and ended up hitting the gift shop before we left. Jack had gotten a stuffed monkey and Sean had chosen a stuffed alligator. On the way home both boys had fallen asleep.

_Danny chuckled as he looked in the rearview mirror, _

"_They're asleep." I turned around and smiled,_

"_They must be worn out from all the excitement today." He glanced at me,_

"_You know, you're great with kids." I smiled a little,_

"_I love kids, what can I say. They're always so full of energy and you're constantly learning new and amazing stuff everyday. Kids take the time to notice the beautiful things in life. We forget to stop and look at the beauty around us as adults." Danny grinned at me,_

"_You could be a poet." I chuckled,_

"_I just say what I feel." He took my hand and kissed it,_

"_And that is one of the many reasons why I love you." We pulled up to the apartment and Danny carried Jack and I carried Sean. I followed Danny up the stairs and into the apartment then into the boy's room where we tucked them into bed. We quietly made our way back to our room and got ready for bed. I had on Danny's NYPD shirt that had "Reagan" on the back of it and a pair of his boxers. He held his hand out to me with a smile and I took it. He pulled me down before wrapping his arm around my waist and running his free hand through my hair as I rested my chin on his chest, "Have I told you how good you look in my clothes?" I smiled,_

"_Yes, a few times actually." He grinned,_

"_You're beautiful you know." I felt my face heat up and I looked away with a smile. He chuckled before he took hold of my chin and made me look at him, "You still blush whenever I tell you you're beautiful." This of course made me blush more. He chuckled as he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on my lips, "You're cute when you blush." I smiled a bit and kissed him again. He held me close and we became lost in the kiss. When we pulled away for air he pressed his forehead against mine, "You've made life bearable again. I forgot what it was like to be truly happy until you came back." _

"_Danny, you've helped me get back on my feet more times than I can count. You've helped me through this who Carmella thing when most people would just turn and run. You're __**still **__helping me through this Carmella thing. You're my best friend and I'm so lucky to be dating my best friend." He smiled a little and kissed me once,_

"_I'll always be there for you, because that's what we do. We're there for one another and we protect each other." I smiled as he ran his hand through my hair before taking my hand kissing my knuckles, "I love you." _

"_I love you too, Danny." And with that he kissed me once more before turning out the lights. I rested my head against his chest and slowly fell asleep to the sound of his heat beating._

That was good day. No worries or cares. Just a normal day with the people I love. My eyes started to become heavy and soon enough my eyes slid shut.

Danny thought long and hard about what he was going to do. There was no question about whether or not he was going to rescue Kyla. He was going into that warehouse warrant or not. His problem was that he had to deal with Marcus, his lawyer, and his daughter. Frank said that he was going to see Marcus and when Danny asked to go with him he told him no. Jackie suggested that they bring the daughter in and Danny agreed, however, Jackie took Jamie with her to pick her up. Danny knew it was better if he wasn't there to pick her up in case he frightened her, but it killed him to sit there and wait for them to come back when he knew it would take at least a half an hour. It was then that a thought occurred to him and he pulled his phone out. It rang four times before there was an answer,

"Hello?"

"Lauren, hey it's Danny."

"Danny! Is everything okay? Did you find her? Is-"

"Slow down, I haven't found her yet but I think I know where she is."

"You do?"

"Yeah, listen is there someplace we can talk? I'd rather do this in person. Are you busy?"

"No I'm free."

"How about the park, right by your studio?"

"Sure, fifteen minutes?"

"Yeah, see ya in fifteen." Danny hung up and grabbed his jacket before heading out the door. He stopped and got them both coffees before he found her sitting on a bench. He handed her the coffee and she thanked him. He sighed as he sat down next to her,

"So what's happened?"

"Kyla called me; she killed Solomon with a wire and called me from his phone. She doesn't know where she is exactly but she knows she's in some meat packing warehouse or factory and that it's near the water. We were able to tell that the signal from the phone was somewhere between three different cell towers and narrowed it down to two different warehouses. The one is only twenty minutes from my apartment."

"Why haven't you checked it out yet?" He let out a frustrated sigh,

"Because we're being given the run around and need a warrant… we got another video today. Lauren, I can't wait anymore. She was screaming my name. I can't sit and do nothing when I have an idea of where she might be. I'm going in tonight, permission or not. I'm getting her back, even if it kills me." She nodded in understanding,

"My cousin's a strong woman. She's stubborn. If she has reason to hold on she will, and Danny you are a pretty big reason for her to hold on. She'll keep fighting." He didn't say anything, he only nodded, "Danny, believe me when I say she will fight tooth and nail to get back to you." He swallowed hard,

"How are you holding up?"

"To be honest, not well. You?" He shook his head and ran his hands over his face,

"I haven't slept in three or four days." She took a big drink and let out a sigh,

"We have to save her."

"I know." Silence fell over them before Danny posed a question to her, "Do you still have your sniper rifle? From when you were a sharpshooter, you know before the air force?" She furrowed her brow,

"Yeah, why?" He shrugged and shook his head a bit,

"No reason." He took a drink of his coffee, "Marcus Carmella's trial has been pushed forward to tomorrow morning. The trial's at ten and they leave the prison at eight. His lawyer will be in the car with him. Both will be in the back seat and both will be wearing vests. There'll be a cruiser in front of it and two behind it. It's a black car. The windows will be a bit tinted but you can still see through them pretty well. The route that's most direct is also under construction so it'll take a while. They'll most likely get stuck near the Baptist church on the corner of Reynolds Street. There's a hotel across the street from it with a very nice view and their security system is down due to the construction." He finished his coffee and stood up before turning and looking at her, "Just thought I'd let you know." Lauren said nothing but nodded her head and Danny left her with her thoughts.

When Danny got back to the station Jackie had just put the young woman into the interrogation room with Jamie,

"I explained to her that legally she doesn't have to talk to us but that we would appreciate it if she would. Jamie's trying to talk to her right now and see if he can get anything." Danny nodded and looked at her through the window.

"Have we got a file on her or anything yet?" Jackie shook her head,

"The embassy won't cooperate with us. That's why we were hoping she'd open up to Jamie." Danny stared at her for a long time,

"I'm gonna talk to her." He started towards the door when Jackie pulled on his arm,

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Danny I don't think that's a good idea. I mean you didn't make a good impression on her last time and-"

"Jack, trust me alright? I'm not gonna scare her." She sighed,

"Okay." She let go and he opened the door. She stiffened a bit but he focused on Jamie,

"Can I have a minute Jamie?" Jamie looked at Jackie, who nodded,

"Uh, sure." He stood up and looked at Danny and gave him a worried look but Danny didn't return his gaze.

"Won't take long."

"Okay, if you need anything we'll be outside." Jamie shut the door and Danny sat down across from the young woman. She was clearly intimidated by him and he knew this. He sighed and put his head in his hands,

"Listen, I know you don't like me. I know you think that I hate you, and in a way I guess I do because of your relation to the Carmella's. But… I need your help." He looked up at her and her face softened. She saw the pain and the tired look that resided in his eyes. She saw a desperate and broken man sitting across from her,

"Your partner, she say this cop is your girlfriend." He nodded,

"Klya." He pulled out his wallet and took out a picture before handing it to her, "That's her." Gingerly she took hold of the picture. It was of the two of them after a Sunday dinner. She was sitting on one of the swings smiling at the camera while he stood behind her and kissed the side of her head. "We've been best friends since we were kids." Danny's voice was soft which was unusual as it was but the fact that he wasn't shouting at her and threatening her made Jamie and Jackie exchange confused and slightly worried glances. Tears formed in the young woman's eyes,

"You really love her." He nodded,

"Yeah, I do." She stared at the picture for a few moments longer before handing it back to him. "So please, I need your help. Will you do that? Will you help me?" She nodded and wiped her eyes,

"Yes. What do you want to know?" Danny let out a breath he had been holding,

"Your blood test came back positive which indicates that you are in fact Marcus Carmella's daughter." She bit her lip and nodded, "Are you Marcus Carmella's daughter?" She nodded again, "So you're real name is Nicoletta Carmella." She swallowed hard,

"My name is Isabella Nicoletta De Luca-Carmella. I never go by Nicoletta and I forbidden to go by Carmella. Mama say it too dangerous. That why I go by mama's name De Luca."

"Has your lawyer told you why you're here?"

"He say that I come here to testify to help my father get out of prison."

"Did he tell you about why your father is in prison?" She shook her head,

"He only say that my father was wrongly accused. Mama say he a bad mad though. She tell me to stay away from him."

"So why did you come here then?" She bit her lip and more tears started to form in her eyes,

"I was told if I did not come my fiancé would be killed. I did not believe him and… and they killed him. They kill my Mauro and than they tell me if I do not come they kill my mother next. So I here. Mama was right, papa is a very bad person." Danny gently reached out and took hold of her hand and she didn't jump,

"Your mother was right, but you can stop him from getting out. Your father was the head of a crime family, he's been responsible for many deaths and caused a lot of pain."

"My father… he have your Kyla?"

"He did, about five years ago he and his people really hurt her and they killed her partner." She let out a strangled sob,

"He torture her. I hear what others would say in school. The stories of the most hateful man that ever live. My father torture people." Danny nodded,

"Yeah, he did. And now one of his people has her and is torturing her again."

"I know nothing about that." Danny nodded,

"I know and that's not what I need your help with. You see, your father says the reason why he tortured her and killed her partner is because they had taken you and attacked you-"

"No, no, no. I never see her before. I never see any American cop until I come here."

"You were never attacked or taken by her or," He opened the file in front of him and pulled out a picture of Micah, "her?" She shook her head,

"No, I never see them before. I never attacked or taken until they kill Mauro."

"Would you be willing to say that in court?"

"I can't, they kill my mama if I do."

"What if we were able to get your mother into protective custody? Would you testify **against **your father?" She hesitated for a moment before nodding,

"If you protect my mother." Danny let out a relieved sigh and nodded,

"Okay, I'll get on that. Thank you." He stood and went to leave but she stopped him,

"Your Kyla, she a lucky woman to have a man love her like you. I pray you find her soon." Danny swallowed the lump in his throat,

"Thanks." And with that he left. He met Jack, Jamie, and his Sarge outside the room. His Sarge looked at him,

"I'll make the call and get her mother into protective custody." He patted Danny on the back, "You did good." And then walked away. Jackie looked at him,

"Did you plan that?" He shook his head,

"No, I thought if I just was honest with her and showed her how desperate I was that maybe she'd talk to me." Jamie shook his head a bit,

"Well it worked."

"Yeah, now we just have to wait and hear back from dad. If he doesn't get anything from Marcus then I'm done waiting." The two nodded,

"Well, let's start making preparations for a team, because knowing Marcus he won't crack." They got to work putting together a team despite the fact that they had no warrant.

Frank hadn't hesitated in deciding that he was going to grill Marcus for information even though he knew he wouldn't give anything willingly. He was hoping that he would slip up but he hadn't. He hadn't accidently divulged any important information. Frank sighed and ran a hand over his face. Marcus chuckled,

"You must be tired of this Frank. Surely you have more important things to be doing. Hm? You know what's fun and relaxing? Planning for a wedding." Frank froze and Marcus covered his mouth with his hand, "Oops, I forgot." He smiled at Frank, "That was supposed to be a secreat wasn't it? She'd look beautiful in a white dress standing there with Danny in his tux looking all handsome. You must be proud."

"Who told you that?" Frank's tone was on the verge of being deadly,

"Through the grape vine. Just think, she'll not only be your goddaughter but she'll also be your daughter in law. That is, of course, if she lives long enough." That was it. Frank glanced at the guards and nodded. The two guards left the room leaving Frank and Marcus alone. Marcus chuckled, "Just us? No guards to keep me safe? The last time there were no guards I got this broken nose. Your son did that. I find that-" He didn't have time to finish because Frank slammed his head down on the table, "What a temper you Reagans have." Frank spoke slowly and calmly,

"You will never come near my family again. You will never touch my family again. Because if you do I will not hesitate to have you executed at the hands of those you persecuted."

"Like Kyla?" He slammed his head down on the table again causing a large gash to form on his forehead,

"Never again." And with that Frank left.

The whole place was like chaos as they were all finishing off the preparations for storming the place. The team that they had formed to go to the other warehouse was already on its way, and they had gotten Isabella's mother into protective custody. Danny's phone rang and he was quick to answer it,

"Danny Reagan."

"Marcus wouldn't talk."

"Then I'm going in."

"Be careful. I'll get the family together and we'll be waiting at the hospital." With that Danny hung up,

"Jack! Time's up." She nodded,

"Suite up people!"

It was almost midnight and Lauren staring at her closet for a long time. She knew that she still had a lot of time to think about what she was going to do. She knew that **if **she was going to do this that she would have to get there at least three hours earlier because she would need to find a good position on the roof of the hotel, check the wind, set up, and make sure that she wouldn't get caught. She scoffed at herself. Who was she kidding; she knew **exactly **what she was going to do. No thinking about it. She stood up and opened the door before she reached into the hidden compartment in the wall. She grabbed the bag and slung it over her shoulder before grabbing some of her photography equipment. Jacob glanced at her as she grabbed her keys,

"Sweetheart what are you doing?"

"Just going to take a few pictures. I'll be back in a couple of hours." Jacob didn't say anything but he knew she was lying. She parked her car a few streets away and walked the rest of the way. She opened the back door and climbed the stairs. No body paid her any attention. When she was on the roof she got to work.

Danny's heart thudded in his chest. They couldn't get there fast enough. When they did arrive he jumped out before the car even came to a complete stop. There were no sirens and everyone was silent. Danny, Jackie, and Jamie made their way through the side entrance. There was an eerie silence and the smell of rancid meat permeated the air. They quickly found the control room and found numerous computer screens all hooked up to the camera feed. Danny scanned each screen looking for Kyla but didn't see her in any of them. Jamie frowned,

"I don't see her on any of these."

"Neither do I kid." His eyes landed on the bottom left screen, "But I did find somebody else. I'll be back. You stay here. Both of you."

"Danny-"

"No, I'm handling this one." Jamie sighed but let his brother go. He and Jackie turned their attention back to the bottom left screen. Jared was talking on his cell phone completely unaware that anybody else was in the building.

"Danny's gonna kill him." Jamie looked at her,

"Yeah, are you gonna stop him?" She shook her head, "Neither am I. But," He typed something into the computer and all of the screens went blank, "I am gonna shut off the cameras."

Danny heard his voice long before he found him. Slowly he made his way toward him. He pressed his back against the wall and looked around the corner. Jared had his back to him. He felt the urge to just shoot him down right then but the more rational side of him told him that he couldn't shoot him, at least not like that. He waited for him to get off the phone before he walked out and held his gun up and pointed at him,

"Turn around slowly with your hands in the air. You even twitch and I'll blow your head off." Jared chuckled but complied all the same. When he looked at Danny he grinned,

"Danny Reagan, somehow it just seems fitting that we meet like this." Danny took deep breaths,

"Where is she?"

"Did you like them? The videos? I thought the last one was the best one yet don't you?" Danny was gripping his gun tightly,

"I'm gonna ask you again, where is she?"

"Go and find her Danny boy because I won't tell you. You're going to kill me either way and I'd rather make you work for it." Danny growled,

"You're right about that."

"Well then go on, shoot me. You're Danny Reagan. You're known for being the tough war veteran and cop. You could kill me with your bear hands. So what's stopping you? Hm? I took your girlfriend and I ripped her to shreds, I carved into her skin, and I beat her. So what could possibly stay your hand? You **want **to kill me. I can see it in your eyes." Jared was only a few feet away from him now, "So what's stopping you?"

"Where is she? Last chance because if the next words out of your mouth aren't about where she is I'm pumping you full of bullets." Jared gave him a manic look,

"She's **hanging** around here somewhere. Did you like the part where she screamed your name? I thought it was a nice-" Three shots sounded throughout the silent building. Jared was lying on the ground with a bullet in his shoulder and two in his stomach.

"You should've left my baby girl alone." He was laughing and coughing up blood,

"Is that it Reagan boy? I took your girlfriend and destroyed her physically and mentally and all you do is-" He didn't finish though because Danny pumped four more bullets into him. He stared at him for a moment as he lied there motionless and seconds later several cops swarmed him. His Sarge looked at him,

"What happened?" Danny gave him a very emotionless look,

"He came at me after I told him to put his hands up and I shot him." Nobody really believed him but nobody questioned it either. Danny met back up with Jamie and Jackie and they kept looking.

I woke to the muffled sound of shots but then thought it was all in my head. It was cold and I was numb and hurting all at once. I had no idea how long I had been there but I knew that I couldn't feel much, and I knew that my head was killing me. Things were slightly disoriented and I felt sick. I heard muffled shouts and thought that I was just hearing things, but as they grew stronger I realized that it was my name that was being shouted. Not only that but I heard Danny's voice as well.

"Danny…" My voice was harsh and sounded like a whisper. I licked my lips before taking a deep breath and shouted as loud as I could, "Danny!"

"Here! I heard her! I heard her in here!" My eyes slid shut in relief as I heard a series of pounding before the large metal door swung open.

"Kyla!" I felt someone grab my waist and lift me up to relieve some of the pressure on my wrists; I opened my eyes to see Danny, "Get me a crate or something to stand on!" Jamie got a big package of meat and sat it down in front of him. He stood on top of it and stuck his head between my cuffed hands,

"Danny…"

"It's okay baby girl, I've got you. I need you to do something alright? I'm going to pick you up and that'll take the pressure off your wrists, I need you to just lift your hands off of the hook okay? Can you do that baby girl?" I nodded, "Alright. On the count of three. One, two, three." He picked me up and pain shot through my body but I lifted my wrists those three inches to get them off the hook before they fell limply around his neck. "Good job baby girl, I need a medic team outside now!" Danny held me tightly as he quickly made his way out of the freezer. I rested my head against his chest, "You're okay baby girl. I've got you." I was tired. All of my energy had been drained from me. When Danny stepped outside of the warehouse the chill of the night air hit me. I didn't mind though. I had just spent God knows how long in a freezer so this was nothing. The medics rushed to meet us. He gently laid me down on the gurney before pulling his head out from between my arms. The medics went straight to work. I licked my lips,

"Danny…"

"Shhh, don't say anything baby girl. You're gonna be fine." I shook my head and motioned for him to come closer. He did and I grabbed his hand and pulled it to my lips. I kissed it before telling him,

"Not your fault." I knew that look in Danny's eyes. I saw the guilt and pain the moment I saw him. He shook his eyes,

"Kyla-"

"No. Not your fault… I love you." Before Danny could say anything the medics said that they needed to take me away now. Danny nodded before kissing my head,

"Dad and the others will be waiting for you at the hospital. Jamie and I won't be far behind. And I love you too." The medics put a mask over my face and soon enough I was out.

Danny took a deep breath as he watched the ambulance pull away. Jackie put a hand on his shoulder,

"It's over Danny. We got her back and the Carmella's are finished for good." Danny took a deep breath,

"Yeah but now we have a new problem." Jackie and Jamie gave him a confused look, "What damage have they done this time?" Jamie saw that it pained his brother to even think about what this was going to do Kyla. Jamie squeezed his brother's shoulder,

"Well, we'll just have to love her even more." Danny gave him a small smile.

When they arrived at the hospital they found the rest of the family still waiting. Frank went up to Danny and sighed,

"Son, we need to talk." Danny became worried,

"Why what's happened?" Frank had a sad look in his eyes and Danny didn't like one bit, "Dad, what's wrong?"

"The doctor said she's lost a lot of blood from all of her wounds. The bullet wound in her shoulder has gone unattended for a long time as well so they have to check for infection. She's very weak which means the surgery's going to take longer. They have to be careful and take it slow because of her weakened state."

"But she'll be alright?"

"I don't know son." Danny was fighting off a sea of emotions and Frank simply hugged him tightly.

It had been almost three hours and they hadn't heard anything yet on how she was doing. It was eight forty-five in the morning and the news was covering the Carmella trial. Danny watched the television that was in the waiting room with Jackie and the others as the car slowly went down Reynolds Street. Half way down the street, next to the Baptist church, two gunshots were heard and the car came to a screeching halt and police swarmed the area. The camera zoomed in and the cops who were in the front of the car opened up the back to reveal Marcus Carmella and Leon Walter, dead. Each with a bullet in the back of the head. Jackie looked at Danny who remained unmoved. He had a hard look on his face and his posture reflected that look. However, she said nothing because quite honestly she was happy that they were both gone. A moment later her phone rang,

"Hello? Yeah Sarge I just saw it on the TV… No he's right here with me… yeah… alright I'm on my way." She hung up the phone and looked at Danny, "I'm supposed to go investigate the shooting. He asked me where you were, thought maybe it was you who shot 'em." Danny said nothing and she nodded, "I've gotta go down there. Keep me updated okay?" He nodded and swallowed hard,

"Jack, let me know what happens alright?" She nodded and left.

About twenty minutes later Lauren arrived. She and Danny shared a look before she asked how Kyla was doing. Henry filled her in and then told her about what happened to Marcus. She told them the reason she was late was that she had gone on her morning work out to try and clear her head and didn't have her phone. Jacob knew this was a lie and he had also seen the look that had passed between Danny and Lauren but again he said nothing. He knew it was her that had shot Marcus and the lawyer and he was surprised that this didn't bother him in the slightest. He thought he would at least be a little disturbed at the idea that his wife had just committed a crime but it really didn't. Jacob shook his head and decided it was best not to dwell on it.

Danny let out a sigh. It was over. It was **really** over. Marcus, Jared, Solomon, the lawyer. They were all dead. They would

Five hours later and they still had no idea how she was. No one would talk to them and it was starting to eat at Danny. Jack and Sean both sat in his lap trying to cheer him up or at least distract him and to some extent it did. They both knew that they're dad was hurting and they wanted to help.

"Dad?"

"Yeah Sean?"

"Why is it taking so long? Shouldn't they be done by now?" Danny sighed,

"I don't know son, it's always a delicate thing when you're dealing with somebody's life. You can't rush it." Jack looked up at his dad,

"Doesn't mean you have to like it though." Danny let out a small chuckle and a very small smile,

"No, no it doesn't." He pulled both of his boys close and kissed their heads before somebody cleared their throat. All eyes shot to the doctor standing there looking extremely tired. The boys hopped off of Danny's lap and he quickly stood up,

"How is she? Is she alright?" The doctor took a deep breath,

"She made it through the surgery." Everybody let out a breath they had been holding, "But we did have some complications." The happy and relieved look fell from their faces. Danny swallowed hard,

"What do you mean?"

"Well, there was some swelling of the brain from the amount of blows to the head she received and with the amount of pain she was in we decided to put her into a medically induced coma and then after a week we'll slowly bring her out of the coma and then it'll be up to her on what happens next." Danny was lost and shook his head,

"What do you mean it's up to her?"

"We're putting her in the medically induced come because the amount of pain she's going to be feeling will be tremendous and we don't have strong enough medication to help her. Like I saw there was also some swelling in the brain, we're hoping that that will go down while she's in the coma. However, when we take her off of the medication we don't know whether she'll remain in the coma or not." Danny felt disconnected, numb even. He was completely out of touch with everything around him,

"How long would she be…" The doctor shook her head with a sad smile,

"We don't know, and I'm sorry but that's not all. There's more." Jamie gripped his brother's shoulder and Henry held his hand. "With the amount of damage that's been done to her feet… well, it's a possibility that the nerves are beyond repair." Danny swallowed,

"You mean… she may never walk again?" She nodded,

"But there is a possibility that she can walk. It's all uncertain right now. We won't know until she wakes up. I'm sorry. We're moving her to a room now; I'll let you know when you can see her." The doctor walked away leaving the family torn and distraught. No one was as distraught as Danny though. It still hadn't completely hit Danny. He was still in shock. He just stood there and looked at his family.

Erin was holding a sobbing Nicky while tears rolled down her own face. Jamie was gripping Henry tightly as both had silent tears running down their faces which held so much anguish. Linda held the boys and all three were crying. Jacob cried as he held Lauren who was sobbing into his chest and they held their kids tightly to them. Numbly Danny looked over at his father who had tears rolling down his cheeks as well. Danny felt so confused. He heard what the doctor had said and yet none of it had made sense to him yet. A few moments later a nurse appeared,

"You can see her now." The family followed the nurse down the hall toward her room. The nurse stopped outside the room, "She's in there." The nurse left and the family waited outside the room, all eyes was on Danny who stood at the back. He still felt so numb and lost and it showed on his face, so Linda gently took his hand and led him inside the room. Nothing could have prepared Danny for when Linda pulled back the curtain. Most of her skin was covered in bandages and her arm was in a sling. There were small bandages covering wounds on her face and head and her feet were completely wrapped up. She was hooked up to several machines and there was a tube in her mouth. The thing that made it hit home for him was the look on her face. She didn't look like she was sleeping, no that would've been easier to see. She looked vacant, like a doll or an empty shell.

Everything that the doctor had said hit Danny hard in that moment he saw her. It clicked in Danny's head what she meant and the numbness went away and he was hit with a wave of emotion. He started to cry. Tears started to cascade down his face and his legs felt like dead weights and he fell to his knees. Sobs wracked his body and he couldn't stop. His heart hurt so much and he couldn't breathe. Here he had his baby girl back but now he could just as easily lose her again, and this time he couldn't do anything about it. He couldn't fix it. Linda pulled him into a hug and he sobbed into her stomach.

Linda felt tears rolling down her cheeks as she held Danny. Her heart broke for him and for the woman she thought of as a sister that was lying prone in the bed beside her. She knew that what the doctor had said hadn't connected in Danny's head when they were in the waiting room. She had seen that confused and vacant expression on his face. Now, though, now she had almost wished he still had that confused look. She knew he understood now. She had seen Danny cry before but not like this. The only thing that compared to this was when he had been told that Joe was dead. He let out another strangled sob and she tightened her grip on him. She didn't know what to say, so she said nothing.

The family had all managed to make it through the tiny room and spend some time with her. They all held her hand and either said something to her or kissed her head or hand. The family had all stayed for a few more hours before they decided to go home and get some sleep. Everybody planned on coming back the next day but Danny, Lauren, and Frank were all staying.

Danny was sat in a chair right beside her bed. He hadn't moved from his spot. He hadn't looked away from her either. Lauren was sat on the other side of her and was holding her hand. That was something else Danny hadn't done. He hadn't touched her. He wasn't sure if it was that he was afraid he was going to break her because she seemed so fragile of that he was scared.

Frank knew that Danny and Lauren were both hurting. That was why he stayed, because he knew that they needed somebody to be there for them. Lauren looked exhausted and Frank had managed to talk her into sleeping on the small loveseat that the room had. She fell asleep in an instant. Frank walked over and placed his hand on his son's shoulder,

"Danny, she's safe now. You should rest." He shook his head,

"I can't… dad I saw her. She talked to me. She didn't… it didn't look like there was this much damage."

"What did she tell you?" He sighed and ran a hand over his face,

"That it wasn't my fault, and that she loved me." Frank nodded,

"Do you believe her?" Danny never took his eyes off of her as he shook his head,

"No, I could've prevented this. I **should** have prevented this."

"Danny, there was no way you could've known that this was going to happen. If you had been there they would've killed you before taking her." Frank saw that none of what he had said made his son think otherwise, "She doesn't blame you son, and she needs you know more than ever. When she wakes up she's going to need you and you need to be able to be there for her, so get some rest." Danny said nothing and Frank sighed, "I'm going to get some coffee." Frank left the room.

Danny lifted his hand and hesitated before he ran the back of it across her cheek. His heart broke all over again. He ran his hand through her hair before he finally took hold of her hand in both of his. He kissed her hand and a tear ran down his cheek,

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

When Frank returned with his coffee he stopped in the doorway. He couldn't believe what he saw. Danny was fast asleep with his head on the bed next to Kyla, and he was holding her hand. Frank saw the tear trail that ran down his son's cheek and wiped it away before he dimmed the lights and sat down at the foot of the bed. He wouldn't sleep tonight, no tonight he would watch over his three children because he didn't want them to be alone.


	18. Hanging in the balance

The next few days were extremely painful for the family. Every day the family came by at separate times and Lauren was there for most of the time. Jacob had managed to talk her into going home to shower and sleep for a few hours but other than that she was always at the hospital. However, this wasn't the case with Danny. He refused to leave her side. Nobody could really blame him though. He loved Kyla and they didn't want to tear him away from her. They did manage to talk him into taking a shower and eating at the hospital but that was it. He wouldn't leave her side for more than an hour. Every day the doctor would stop by to check her over and the nurses would change the bandages. When the end of the week came and it was time to slowly bring her out of the medical coma the whole family had showed up at once. Erin cleared her throat,

"How long before we know that she's no longer under the influence of the medicine?"

"About three days I would say, give or take." She nodded, "The second day we can take the tube out because she should be able to breathe on her own." After a few more minutes the nurses left and the doctor shoved her hands in her pockets, "Well, now comes the hard part. Waiting. I suggest you all go home and rest. We'll call if there are any changes." The family stayed for a while but eventually they all dissipated. Danny and Lauren stayed, as usual. Lauren looked at Danny, who was holding Kyla's limp hand,

"Danny…" He looked at her, "Do you think she'll wake up?" He looked back at Kyla and kissed her hand,

"I hope so, because I don't think I'll be able to cope if she doesn't." Three days passed and she had been taken off of the tube, yet she hadn't woken up. The doctor told them to give her a day or two more, but when the fifth day came around and she still hadn't woken up despair began to set it. Jacob had forced Lauren to leave her side and get out because it wasn't healthy for her to be there all day. Danny wouldn't leave though. He couldn't. When two weeks had passed and she still hadn't woken up the family had become increasingly worried. Danny would not leave her side. He looked terrible. There were bags under his eyes from not sleeping and he looked thinner than he was three weeks ago. He even missed Sunday dinners because he wouldn't leave. Somebody always brought him a plate of food and would make him eat it but other than that he didn't really eat. The night nurses had told them that he didn't sleep well. They told them about how they would have to wake him up at times because he was having nightmares.

This wasn't the only problem. Danny was shutting down on them. The longer Kyla remained in a coma the more he withdrew. It scared the family to no end. At first the boys could get through to him and made him leave her side to at least eat and shower but even now they couldn't get through to him. He just sat there and held her hand. Jackie had tried to get him to talk but she got nothing. The same went for Jamie, Erin, and Linda. Lauren wasn't herself either; she wasn't as cheerful and peppy as she usually was. But she was still functioning unlike Danny. He looked miserable. He had this sad and tired look on his face. He didn't smile, he didn't laugh, and he didn't even speak much. Frank and Henry had tried to get Danny to leave but even they couldn't get through to him.

Frank was extremely worried, both for Kyla and for Danny. If Kyla didn't wake he feared that the Danny he knew would be gone forever. What really scared him though was the thought of what would happen if they **lost** Kyla. If, God forbid, that they had to let her go or if she died on the job there was no doubt in Frank's mind what would happen to Danny. He knew that he would lose his oldest son. He couldn't lose both of them. He just couldn't, he had already lost one son. Frank sighed as he sat in the pews of the little chapel that the hospital had. He shut his eyes and bowed his head, and for the next ten minutes he prayed that he would get his daughter and his son back.

Garrett had found Frank praying in the chapel and patiently waited for him to finish. When he was done Garrett made his presence known. Frank sighed,

"It's time to get back to work isn't it?" He nodded,

"I'm sorry Frank." He nodded and stood before meeting him at the door, "How is she?"

"The same, she hasn't woken up. It's been two weeks and there's been no sign that she's going to wake up."

"How's Danny?" Frank pursed his lips,

"Not well. Garrett… I'm losing him. My son is going through a deep hurt and I can't help him. If we lose her then I have no doubt… that I'll lose my son as well." Garrett nodded slowly,

"How are you?" Frank gave him a look as they got into the car and Garrett shrugged, "I know you're not one to talk about your feelings Frank but it might help you to vent a little." Frank sighed. He knew Garrett was right and he knew that he probably should talk to him at least a bit,

"I'm worried. I'm afraid of losing them both. I can't lose another son and I can't lose Kyla either. She's like my daughter." He paused for a moment before letting a small smile cross his face, "Danny plans on marrying her." This surprised Garrett,

"I didn't know they were that serious." Frank nodded,

"I told you she was my goddaughter. She was also Danny's best friend. He was a senior and she was in sixth grade. She'd just started middle school when Joe and Joe and Jamie had seen her waiting for her grandparents to pick her up. There were these eighth grade boys picking on her and Joe went over and got rid of them. They waited with her and they became fast friends." Frank hadn't realized that he was still talking to Garrett because he was so caught up in the memory, and Garrett didn't bother to stop him. "The next day the offered to walk her home after they stopped by the house because their mother wanted to meet her. The moment that Mary laid eyes on the girl her heart melted. She loved the little girl and fussed over her. Joe was a freshman at the time and Jamie was in fourth grade. The two loved her to pieces. She and Jamie would always play games in the backyard together and Joe would always help her with her homework and study with her." He chuckled, "Should've seen it when she and Danny first met. Jamie and Joe had gone upstairs to change and Mary was in the kitchen cooking dinner. Kyla and her grandparents were invited to join us. When Danny had gotten home he found her sitting on the couch waiting for the boys." He laughed, "She put him in his place."

"_Who are you?"_

"_Kyla. Who are you?"_

"_Danny, what are you doing?"_

"_Waiting." He rolled his eyes,_

"_I mean, what are you doing in my house?"_

"_Because Joe and Jamie and invited me over." Danny scoffed before muttering something along the lines of course they bring home a stray. "Hey, I'm not some dog that they just picked up along the way." Danny was slightly shocked that not only had she heard him but she had talked back to him. However, he was quick to retaliate,_

"_No, just some stupid little girl that was dumb enough to stand there and get picked on."_

"_Not all of us are strong enough to fight back like __**you**__. I can't fight somebody twice my size, but I can outsmart them." He scoffed,_

"_Oh really? And just how would you do that?" She gave him a big grin,_

"_I took the rats from the science lab and stuck them in their backpacks, so when they went to get their stuff they screamed like little girls and climbed on top of their desks." He stared at her with an open mouth and she merely smiled sweetly at him. He grinned as he dropped his back pack on the floor before going over and sitting down next to her,_

"_I think I'm gonna like you kid." She smiled at him and chuckled,_

"_Hey I'm not a kid. I am in middle school you know." He smirked. He really did like this girl,_

"_How old are you?"_

"_I'm ten, but I'll be eleven in three months." He whistled,_

"_I'm eighteen."_

"_Wow, you're old enough to drive. Do you have a car?" He chuckled,_

"_Yeah, I also have a job." _

"_Where do you work?"_

"_At the mechanic shop down the street. I'm just working the register and phone mostly but sometimes they let me help out on the cars." Just then Joe and Jamie came down the stairs,_

"_Danny, see you've met Kyla already." Jamie gave her a worried look,_

"_He didn't scare you off yet did he? He does that sometimes." Danny shot his younger brother a look that clearly said he was going to get it later,_

"_Hey Joe, Jamie. Yeah, we've been talking and no I haven't scared her off you knuckle head." He looked at his watch and sighed, "Listen, I've gotta get ready for work, but I will see you guys when I get home." He stood and looked at Kyla, "I'm guessing I'll see you around here more often?" She nodded with a smile,_

"_Probably." He smiled at her,_

"_See ya later then baby girl." And with that he went up the stairs._

Garrett said nothing as Frank stared out the window. It was clear that he was still thinking about the past. Frank had laughed very hard that night when Danny told him about his first encounter with Kyla. It was also the day that she got the nick name "baby girl" and Danny was the only one allowed to call her by it. Frank sighed as they car came to a stop and the press were all outside, "Let's get this over with."

About the middle of the third week Danny had had to be sedated because he hadn't slept in five days and the nurses were concerned. He had his head down on the bed next to Kyla and still held on to her hand. The nurses figured he would sleep for at least six hours. They all felt bad for him and saw how much it pained him to see her in such a state. The one nurse had even commented to her friend that it was clear that he was really in love with her. She had also said that if she didn't wake up within the next week or so that he would probably waste away to nothing.

Danny was groggy and he knew why. He had just barely felt the twinge in his shoulder but he had felt it all the same, and he knew that a nurse had sedated him. They had kept telling him that he needed to rest but he just couldn't. He didn't like what he saw when he shut his eyes. In his groggy state he felt somebody running their hand through his hair. It actually felt nice. It reminded him of when his mother would run her hand through his hair when he wasn't feeling well or was upset. He went to squeeze Kyla's hand but froze. Her hand was gone. He opened his eyes and slowly sat up. The hand that had been running through his hair stopped and found its way to his cheek. He blinked a few times before rubbing his eyes with his mouth hanging open,

"Kyla?" She looked tired but it was her. She gave him a small smile and whispered,

"Hey." Danny felt several different emotions at once but the most prominent one was relief. Her hand fell back onto the bed as tears welled in his eyes as he stood up and ran his hand over her cheek,

"You're awake." She furrowed her brow,

"How long was I out?"

"Almost four weeks." Her eyes widened as she reached her hand up again and stroked his cheek. He kissed her hand,

"Danny, I'm so sorry. I-" He cut her off though as he leaned down and kissed her. Tears streamed down both of their faces now as she kissed him back. He poured all of his pain and relief into the kiss and she returned it. When they pulled back he rested his head against hers,

"I was so scared that I was going to lose you forever."

"I'm sorry." She kissed him once, "I'm so, so sorry." She kept kissing him on the cheek, the jaw, and lips. She had no idea how relieved he was to hear her voice and feel her touch.

"I should get the doctor." However he remained rooted to the spot. He was afraid that if he left she would be asleep again when he returned and that it was all just a dream. Thankfully a nurse came in a few minutes later to change her bandages.

When the nurse saw that she was awake she couldn't help but feel relieved. She saw the way that Danny held her and the way that they looked at one another. She quickly left to get the doctor. The doctor quickly made her way to the room and when she entered she stood there with a shocked look. Quickly she did an examination and then left to start on some more tests. The nurse changed her bandages then left to call the rest of the family because she knew that Danny wouldn't be able to leave her side.

He kissed her hand as tears spilled down his cheeks. She squeezed his hand before taking hold of his chin,

"Hey, it's okay." She brushed his tears away before pulling him closer and kissing him softly, "It's okay." He pressed his forehead against hers,

"I was so scared that… that I would lose you." He kissed her nose, "I starting to think I **had** lost you." I smiled a little,

"It takes a lot more than that to get rid of me remember?" He gave her a weak smile. He shut his eyes and tried to regain control of his emotions. He was still fighting with himself and she knew that. She took her hand and placed it on his cheek. He leaned into her touch before covering her hand with his, "This isn't your fault. I've already told you that I don't nor will I ever blame you for this. Please, Danny you have to believe me." He kept his eyes closed and only nodded. She knew that he didn't believe her but she would just have to a way to convince him otherwise. For a long time they just sat there in silence with their foreheads pressed together.

There was so much Danny wanted to say to her but he knew that she wasn't up for it yet. He would wait until they were home before he would talk to her. She needed to recover her strength before he even tried to talk to her about what all he was feeling. He knew that she could tell there was so much he wanted to say but she also knew that in time he would tell her.

The family was practically running down the halls of the hospital to see if what the nurse had said was really true. Frank and Jamie had gotten to the room first and stopped in the doorway. Frank smiled some and looked at Jamie who was also smiling. The two were still unaware of the fact that they had company. Jamie knocked on the door and the two opened their eyes and pulled away some.

I smiled when I saw Frank and Jamie and then a matter of seconds the rest of the family showed up. There were cheers and smiles all around. Jamie was the first to come over and hug me,

"You scared us so much." Then it was Henry, who kissed my head and squeezed my hand,

"You had us worried there for a long time." Nicky gave me a light hug because of all the bandages and such before whispering,

"You really had Uncle Danny worried." When she pulled away I gave her a look that said we needed to talk later and she grinned. Erin gave me a hug,

"Don't you **ever** scare me like that again." I chuckled,

"I promise Erin." Linda and the boys were next. The boys both went to rush me when Linda and Danny stopped them,

"Easy boys."

"Slow down, she's still in a lot of pain." Gently the boys gave me hugs before kissing my cheek. Sean gave me a smile,

"I'm glad you're awake, Kyla." I grinned at him,

"Me too buddy." Jack smiled before cupping his hand around my ear and whispering,

"Dad was really **really** worried about you."

"So I've heard." I kissed them both on the cheek before Linda gave me a light hug,

"It's good to have you back. If you need anything let me know okay?" I nodded and she looked at Danny and smacked his arm lightly, "Don't let her do anything stupid like trying to move before everything's properly healed." He gave her a tired smile,

"I won't. Even if I have to tie her down." Linda smiled and moved over so Lauren could get to me. She stood a few feet away and hesitated before she started to cry. I held my hand out to her and when she took it I pulled her to me and let her sob into my good shoulder.

"Hey, it's alright. I'm okay." She cried for a few more minutes before she pulled away,

"Don't you ever do that again. Ever. I thought we'd lost you."

"I'm here. I'm right here and I am **not **going anywhere." She nodded and pulled away. Jacob and Ryan both hugged me and Jacob told me that it was good to have me back. That only left Frank. By the look in his eye I could tell he had a lot to tell me and I nodded in understanding. He came over and kissed my head before whispering,

"You have no idea how glad I am that you're okay." I nodded again. Just then the doctor came in and cleared her throat,

"I'm sorry to interrupt but I need to check Ms. Williams's feet." I noticed Danny and the others tense or shift uncomfortably.

"What's wrong?" Nobody said anything as she began to unwrap my feet. Danny wouldn't look at me and that terrified me. I looked at everyone else and none of them would look at me either except Frank. What I saw in Frank's eyes scared me. "Frank?" He took hold of my hand and sat down on the edge of the bed. When the bandages were gone the doctor looked at me,

"There was a lot of nerve damage to your feet and-" It hit me,

"I can't walk can I?" Frank squeezed my hand. The doctor sighed,

"We don't know. That's what we're going to check. And there is the possibility that the damage is only temporary. You could regain feeling. Are you ready?" She held a dull scalpel in her hand and I nodded. She ran the scalpel up and down both feet. My heart sank and I shut my eyes, "Could you feel that?" I shook my head. "How about that?"

"No." Then I felt the scalpel just above my shin and my eyes flew open, "I felt that though." I saw her holding the scalpel just above my shin before running it back down towards my feet. "But not that." I felt tears start to form in my eyes. Frank pulled me to him and I started to cry into his chest. I felt a warm hand take hold of my left hand and knew that it was Danny. I squeezed it and continued to cry.

The family and the doctor left while a nurse rewrapped my feet. I couldn't stop the tears that were pouring down my cheeks.

"I'm a cop. I-I can't d-do that if I can't w-walk." Frank kissed my head,

"Yes you can. You have blue blood in you. You will always be a cop and nothing, especially this, will ever change that. The doctor said that this could be temporary. We have to believe that it is and strive to get you back on your feet and walking." My tears had started to slow and when I pulled away I saw Frank give me a small smile, "You're a strong girl Kyla. You can beat this." He looked at Danny, "Can you give us a minute son?" I looked at Danny who looked very hesitant to do so. "It'll only take a minute." Danny nodded and stood up before giving me a small kiss on the lips,

"I'll be right outside." When the door shut behind him Frank looked down at me,

"You had us all scared, but no one was as scared as Danny was."

"He said I was out for four weeks?" Frank nodded,

"Those were the hardest four weeks of his life. And they were the hardest four weeks I had to watch." I gave him a confused look,

"What do you mean?"

"While you were unconscious Danny never left your side. He has been here all the time for the last four weeks. At first we had managed to talk him into at least leaving you long enough to eat something out of the cafeteria and use one of the hospital showers. That was the first week. After that it was all down hill. He stopped eating, he didn't sleep, and he didn't talk. Danny shut down on his. The other night a nurse called me and asked for permission to sedate him. She told me he had gone almost five days without sleep because he was having nightmares. I told her to go ahead. He's thinner now than he was before he joined the marines. If you hadn't woken up then we would never have gotten Danny back, and if something had happened to you… if we lost you…"

"You think you'd lose Danny?" He nodded,

"I know I would. Since you've woken up this is the most I have seen my son talk and move in the last four weeks… You mean the world to him. I just wanted you to know how much he loves you. How much we all love you."

"I love you guys too, and I love him. More than words can describe." Frank smiled and glanced out of the window to see Danny nervously pacing back and forth. He chuckled,

"I think I should let him back in before he drives becomes a nervous wreck." I laughed,

"Probably should." He kissed my head before standing up and going toward the door. Moments later Danny came back in and took hold of my hand again. I gave him a tired smile, "You looked nervous." He chuckled,

"I suppose I was." He leaned down and kissed me softly, "I missed you." I smiled a little,

"I missed you too." He ran his hand through my hair,

"We'll make it through this together alright? You and me. Every physical therapy and checkup." I nodded my head because I didn't know what else to say. Danny chuckled at me when I couldn't suppress a yawn, "Tired?" I gave him a small smile,

"A little. Danny?"

"Hm?"

"Will you hold me? I want to know that you're still there if I wake up or have a nightmare." He gave me a big smile,

"Of course I will." I scooted over some and Danny stretched out next to me before gently taking me in his arms. I rested my head on his chest and he kissed the top of my head,

"I love you Danny."

"I love you to baby girl." And soon enough we were both fast asleep, wrapped in one another's arms. In that moment we had no worries or cares and more importantly we had nothing to keep us apart.


	19. The first step to recovery

When Danny woke he found that Kyla was snuggled into his chest, and he couldn't help but smile a little. It wasn't a dream; his baby girl really had woken up. A nurse came in and she smiled at him. He licked his lips before whispering,

"What time is it?"

"It's almost five in the morning. You two slept most of the day away yesterday." He chuckled,

"Do you know when she'll be released?" She shook her head,

"Not for a couple of weeks at least. The doctor will want to monitor her and make sure she's healing properly before she lets her go." Danny nodded and the nurse continued, "When she wakes press the call button. We didn't get to change her bandages yesterday afternoon because we didn't want to wake either of you. You were both so tired." He gave her a grateful smile,

"Thank you." She nodded and gave them one more glance before leaving. Danny looked down at his sleeping girl and brushed some hair out of her face before kissing her head. He rested his head against the bed and shut his eyes. There were a million thoughts running through his head. The most prominent thought was that he needed to keep her safe. He needed to protect her both physically and mentally. She was strong, there was no denying that, but she was also fragile. Her body could take more than most and she had this amazing endurance, but she was plagued by nightmares and unwarranted guilt. He had seen her at her highest and her lowest and he never wanted to see her that low again. This time around it would be different. He would take off work for a while and just stay with her and help her recuperate. He would wake her before any nightmare could hurt her, and he would love her until the end of time.

She stirred some and Danny looked down at her to see her waking. She looked up at him through sleepy eyes and smiled at him. He smiled back,

"Morning." He leaned down and kissed her softly,

"Morning?"

"Apparently we slept through yesterday and into today."

"What time is it?"

"About five." She nodded before yawning a bit, "Go back to sleep." She nodded and snuggled back up to him.

I was almost asleep when a thought crossed my mind,

"Danny?"

"Hm?"

"What happened to Jared? And Marcus?" I felt Danny stiffen and I sat up some and looked at him. He had a hard look to his face and I could see the raging anger in his eyes. "Danny?" He looked at me and his face softened and the anger subsided some,

"They're dead."

"Dead?" He nodded, "And the lawyer? Is he dead too?" He nodded,

"Yeah, he's dead."

"What happened?" I could tell that he didn't want to tell me but I needed to know. I placed my hand on his cheek, "I'm not a little girl anymore Danny. You don't have to shield me." He kissed my palm,

"But I want to. I want to hide you away from the world and keep you safe." I smiled a little before kissing him. It was soft and slow and I enjoyed every moment of it. He relaxed and when we pulled away I laid my head down on his chest. He let out a sigh,

"The trial had gotten moved up and it was supposed to be the day that we found you. Marcus and the lawyer were on their way to the trial… and somebody shot them when they were on route. Two shots and that was it. No more lawyer, and no more Marcus Carmella." For a moment we just sat there in silence and I thought about what Danny had said,

"Who killed them?" He shrugged,

"They don't know." I nodded my head,

"And Jared?" Danny was silent and I knew then what had happened. I looked up at him, "You killed him didn't you?" He nodded, "I won't question it. To be honest I'm kind of glad he's gone. I don't have to worry about him any more, or Marcus. If our places were reversed, and it was you that was in danger I wouldn't have any second thoughts about killing the people who took you. That doesn't mean I want you to go get in any trouble though." He chuckled before lightly kissing me,

"I wouldn't dream of it." He kissed me again and I sighed in contentment. It felt good to be in Danny's arms again and kissing him. I had missed him so much. We were interrupted though by a knock on the door. We looked over and saw three nurses standing there smiling at us,

"Sorry but we need to change your bandage and check your vitals." I felt myself blush a bit and Danny chuckled before kissing my head and getting up. Before the nurse could shoo him out into the hall he said,

"I know the drill, I'm going." I laughed and so did the nurses. Once he was out they shut the door and closed the binds on the window. As they worked they told me about how long it would take for me to heal and when I would be allowed to go home. The one nurse, Kathy, said,

"You have a good man there." Sara nodded in agreement,

"You two looked adorable sleeping there together." I blushed and laughed,

"Thank you. I wouldn't trade him for anything. He's always been there for me and cared for me." The third nurse, Amy, said,

"Well, that man absolutely adores you. He's a keeper." I laughed as they finished up,

"Yes he is." They left and he came back in. He took my hand and kissed it and for a moment I saw a pained look in his eyes and I frowned, "What's wrong?"

Danny had hoped she hadn't seen the sorrow in his eyes but she had,

"Nothing." He sat down beside her and gently pulled her to him again, "Just thinking." When he came back in the room and he looked at her he saw everything. All the bandages, all the bruises, where they were. It all reminded him that he had failed. She was here because he had failed to protect her. He was glad she was awake and he loved holding her again and kissing her, but there was always that pang of guilt every time he touched her or looked at her. He couldn't stop holding her and kissing her because of how much he missed her but he also couldn't shake the guilt and sorrow every time he did. She kissed his jaw before whispering,

"I love you Danny, and I do **not **blame you." He sighed before looking down at her and kissing her lightly,

"I know… but I do."

For three weeks Danny stayed with me and every day I made him go home and at least shower, eat, and sleep in a real bed even if it was only a couple hours. Danny was starting put on the weight that he had lost and didn't look so tired anymore. On Sundays he and the family would always come over with a plate of food for me and stay for a couple of hours to just talk. It was nice having them all there. Lauren and her family would come every Monday night and eat with Danny and I and then throughout the week Lauren would show up by herself to see how I was doing.

It was my seventh week of recovery and I was finally allowed to go home. Danny, Jamie, and Erin all came to help me make the transition from the hospital to home. The nurse had helped me into a wheel chair before they got there. I didn't want them to see how much pain it caused me to get in the chair. I had tried to get away with not taking my pain medicine but the nurse had seen right through me and told me that if I didn't take them she would inject them into my IV. So I complied and took the meds. It was the only way I was able to sit with my back against the back of the chair. My whole torso was wrapped as well as my shoulder and feet. I wasn't allowed to walk on them at all for at least a month.

When the Reagan siblings got there the nurse explained to them what I was and wasn't allowed to do, what medicine I had to take and when, and when to change bandages and such. Apparently I wasn't trusted to do it myself. Erin pulled the car around and Danny and Jamie helped me into the car. On the way home I did my best not to cringe or hiss whenever we hit a bump. When we got to Danny's He carried me up the stairs to his apartment while Jamie carried all of the supplies and the wheel chair. Erin got the door and they immediately took me to the bedroom where I was finally put down. They had each said a few things to me but most of it was a blur because the medication was kicking in. The last thing I remembered was Danny kissing my head before I was completely out.

When I woke I found that the sun was going down and that I was in a lot of pain. I saw the bottle of pain pills sitting on the dresser. Without thinking about what had happened or where I was I pulled the covers back and swung my legs over the edge. I pushed myself up and off the bed. I was painfully jolted awake when my feet hit the floor. I couldn't feel my feet and fell onto the floor with a yelp. I felt my shoulder and back flare with pain as I hit the ground. I heard something hit the ground before someone was running down the hall and into the room,

"Kyla!" Danny was quick to lean down and help me up. Gently he lifted me into his arms and put me back on the bed, "Are you alright? Did you pull anything?" I shook my head. He let out a sigh, "What were you doing?" I nodded toward the pain pills,

"I tried to get them… I forgot that I… that I couldn't walk." He kissed my head before going over to the dresser and getting them for me. He pulled out three and handed them to me. I swallowed them,

"How bad is it?"

"Not bad."

"You're lying." I chuckled,

"I forgot… I can't lie to you. You always did see right through me." I reached out my hand toward him and he took it. I pulled him closer then I took hold of his chin and pulled him down before kissing him, "I'll be alright." He didn't respond. He shut his eyes and pressed his forehead against mine. I kissed him again, "Stop blaming yourself, because I don't. You saved me remember? And don't you dare apologize."

"Kyla-" I cut him with a kiss. He sighed but eventually kissed me back. I smiled a bit,

"Was that so hard?"

"Kyla, I know you don't want me to apologize but I still feel like I could've done something to keep you safe. I should've been there with you and kept you safe." I placed m hands on either side of his face,

"Daniel Reagan I want you to listen to me, and I mean **really **listen to me. This was not your fault. If anything it's my fault. Micah and I agreed to take the Carmella case six years ago and we got caught. If you had been here when Solomon came he would have killed you and I would never forgive myself for that nor would I have been able to cope without you. So don't you dare think that any of this is your fault. You hear me?" He nodded and I lightly kissed him, "You are such a stubborn man." He chuckled,

"And you are a stubborn woman." He climbed into bed next to me and I lied down with my head against his chest, "Go back to sleep."

"As long as you promise to be here when I wake up." He kissed my head,

"I'll always be here." And with that I drifted off to sleep.

Danny fell asleep shortly after. It was almost three in the morning when he started to toss and turn a bit.

_Danny wondered around the large empty warehouse. It was the exact same one that he had found Kyla in. It was eerily quiet and there was no sign of anybody,_

"_Hello?" There was a faint whisper,_

"_Danny…"_

"_Kyla?" _

"_Danny…" It was her voice. He knew it was, so he started to move faster. _

"_Kyla!" He started to run towards the freezer where he had found her. The whispering grew louder as he got closer. He threw the door open and bats came flying out, but the room was empty. Laughter and screams filled the air now. Kyla's screams. He ran down the hall toward the screams. He ran as fast he could and when he came to the room where the screams were emanating from he found Jared laughing as he stabbed Kyla through the heart with an ice pick, "No!" He pumped a whole round of bullets into Jared who dropped to the ground. There was so much blood when he rolled her over. She didn't move. She didn't speak. All she did was stare back him with lifeless eyes. Danny felt hot tears pouring down his face as he screamed and cried. That was when the whispers started again,_

"_Why didn't you save me Danny?" _

"_I'm sorry, baby girl. I'm sorry! I was too late. I should've protected you and I didn't." As his sobs grew so did the whispers, the screams, and the laughter. They grew until they were a loud roar in his ears,_

"_DANNY!"_

He shot up in bed, gasping for breath. He was drenched in sweat but was absolutely chilled to the bone. His heart thudded in his chest as he took deep breaths. He looked down next to him to see Kyla lying there sound asleep. His heart started to slow down and his breathing went back to normal. He lied back down before wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her head, her cheek, and neck. He kept kissing her before he buried his face in her hair. He took a deep breath before muttering,

"It's just a dream. Just a dream."

The next morning I woke to find myself in Danny's tight grip. I tried to turn around or even just move a little but he held on tighter. He groaned,

"Go back to sleep." I chuckled,

"Mind letting me turn around?" He hesitated before loosening his grip some and painfully I turned around. When I saw his face I frowned a bit. His eyes were red and there were dark circles underneath them. I touched his cheek and he let out a sigh before shutting his eyes and leaning into my touch, "I know that look Danny. You had a nightmare didn't you?" He kissed me palm,

"It's fine."

"Don't. You and I both know it's not alright. Please, tell me. You know you can tell me." For a long time he just stared at me and ran his hand through my hair or over my cheek, not saying anything. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath,

"I didn't save you. I ran and I ran and when I finally did find you… it was too late. I had lost you. There were whispers, laughter, and screaming. I… I couldn't…" I saw the pain in his eyes and knew that this wasn't the only nightmare he had had,

"How many have you had?" He didn't meet my eyes, "Danny…" I tilted his chin so he was looking at me, "How many?"

"Just a few. Mostly when you were in a comma. They stopped after you woke up." I kissed him softly,

"It'll be alright." He sighed and pulled me even closer,

"I know, I know." We spent the rest of the morning just talking seeing how neither one of us was going to be able to go back to sleep. It was almost noon when I had to take more medicine and eat something. Danny didn't feel like cooking and I didn't want him to go anywhere so we ordered take out from a local Italian restaurant. When it got here Danny went and paid for it before coming back into the bed room with a bag of food and two waters. I chuckled,

"No wine?" He laughed,

"Not in your condition. Besides," he kissed my forehead, "I don't think I can handle a drunken Kyla this early in the day." I laughed as I opened the bag and pulled out two boxes of pasta and another box of garlic bread,

"I thought you said I was cute when I was drunk." He smirked,

"I said you were cute when you were buzzed. Don't get me wrong you're cute drunk, buzzed, or sober. But you're much harder to handle when you're drunk, mostly because you're passed out." I laughed and threw a little bit of sauce at his face,

"Shut up Danny." He laughed,

"Oh you wanna go there? He dipped his finger in his spaghetti before smearing it on my cheek. We busted out laughing. It appeared as if things were already starting to go back to normal, and I was thankful for that. Life goes on, and so can we. The question was, where do we go from here?


	20. Trust me, talk to me, love me

The next few weeks were interesting to say the least. I was able to go without the sling and I was able to lift my arm above my head again. It was still tender and sore but that was expected. I mean I **had **been shot. I still couldn't go a day without pain so I was still taking the pain pills on a regular basis but at least I was healing.

Every other day Erin or Lauren would stop by and help me change the bandages and take a shower. Danny hadn't questioned it much and for that I was thankful. It wasn't that I didn't think he could do a good job, but I had my reasons for not wanting him to help. I prayed I would stay this lucky until I could do it myself. Danny was in the kitchen cleaning up after lunch while I sat in the living room,

"Hey Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you call Erin and ask her to come over?"

"That depends," He leaned on the doorframe between the kitchen and the living room and crossed his arms, "why am I calling my sister?"

"I need her help to take a shower and change the bandages."

"Why can't I help you?"

"Danny, I don't think you should." He furrowed his brow and came over and stood in front of me,

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Danny, please?"

"Kyla, be honest with me." I sighed,

"Because I don't want you to see them." It dawned on him then,

"The wounds." I nodded. He lifted my chin and kissed me softly, "I want to help you through all of this. Even the bad stuff, alright? Trust me." I hesitated before whispering,

"Okay…" he stood up and lifted me into his arms before heading toward the bathroom. I told him what to do and he helped me peel off my shirt and sweats leaving me in a pair of short shorts and my torso completely bandaged. He unwrapped my feet and when he saw the red, angry, swollen, scared flesh I saw his eyes sadden. Gently he touched them and looked at me. I shook my head, "I can't feel it." He then sat me down on the edge of the tub with my back toward him. Now came the hard part. He took the end of the bandage and began to unwrap it. He would pass the bandage to me and I would unwrap it in the front. When the bandage was completely gone and the gauze was removed I felt the cool air hit my back. For a long time there was just silence. I didn't turn around and Danny didn't say anything.

Danny's heart was breaking. There were new wounds on top of old scars and they looked so painful. They were red, purple, ugly, and swollen. Gently he touched the edge of one of the whip marks. He felt her let out a breath she'd been holding. He leaned forward and gently kissed her neck before turning on the water and grabbing the soap. He knew it was going to hurt her but he also knew that if he rushed it he might hurt her even more. Gently he began to scrub her back. She tensed and he heard a hiss escape her lips.

"Sorry." She shook her head,

"It's alright. This is always the worst part." After he had scrubbed her back he rinsed it off before he let her wash the front part of her body. She wouldn't say it but he knew it embarrassed her so he casually turned his back and pretended to be rummaging through the drawers like he was looking for something. "You can turn around now." He smiled to himself as he turned around. She smiled at him over her shoulder as he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her from behind, "Thanks." He moved her over to the end of the tub while he sat on the edge of the tub with his feet in the water. Gently he took her left foot in his hand and began to clean it before moving up to her leg. He watched her carefully as he cleaned both feet and legs for any sign of pain. She smiled at him and leaned forward and placed a kiss on his cheek, "I'm fine Danny. Remember, I can't feel any of it."

"How far up does it go?" She pointed to the middle of her shin,

"Right about there." He nodded before finishing up and then helping her sit on the floor with her head rested on the edge of the tub. He stood in the tub as he lathered his hands up with shampoo. She told him that she could wash her own hair but he had insisted on doing it for her. He didn't know why because anything longer than Jack or Sean's hair he had no clue what to do with. He managed to shampoo and condition her hair, with some minor guidance, and wrapped her hair in another towel. Well, he attempted to wrap her hair up in a towel. It more or less ended with him just rubbing her head with the towel like he did his boys which in turn caused her to laugh like a child and that made him grin. He let her wrap her own hair up because no amount of guidance would have been able to help him even attempt to do it for her. He then wrapped up her feet before wrapping her torso. He gently kissed the carving on her left shoulder before wrapping it up. He then helped her back into her sweats and one of his shirts. He then carefully picked her up and carried her out to the living room.

He sat down on the couch with her in his lap. She rested her head against his chest and let out a small sigh,

"Thanks Danny." He smiled and kissed her head,

"I'm glad you let me help you." She chuckled,

"Do you feel up to doing that for a while? If you do then the job is yours and I can fire Erin and Lauren." He laughed,

"Am I qualified enough?" She sat up some and smiled at him,

"I think so. If not I'm sure I can teach you." He leaned down and kissed her softly,

"Then I'll take the job. Especially if I get to work with such a pretty girl like you." She laughed,

"You are so cheesy sometimes." He grinned as he pressed he forehead against hers,

"Ah, but that's why you love me."

"Part. That's part of why I love you. I love you because you're a stubborn, hotheaded, determined idiot. I love you because you're a sweet, loving, caring idiot." He kissed her once,

"I'm sensing a theme here." She chuckled,

"A protective idiot. But most of all, I love you because you're my best friend." He kissed her again,

"I love you Kyla."

"I love you too Danny."

Time passed slowly over the next few months. Danny managed to get two months off of work to take care of me and it was nice to just spend all that time with him. Now there were moments where I thought he was going to drive me crazy but that's love. The boys came back on a regular basis, every other week, and we spent a lot of time lying in our room telling stories. I told a lot of King Arthur stories and sometimes all four of us would fall asleep in bed together. Danny loved this, having the boys over with us. I could see it in his eyes and it made me happy to see him happy. I loved having the boys over though they did have a lot of energy and I always felt worn out after spending the day with them. I blamed that on the pain pills.

It was my fifth month in recovery and I still wasn't allowed to go back to work. At least not officially. I was allowed to "consult" Danny and Jackie if they needed a second opinion, and Sarge had given me cold case files to look over while I was at home. I didn't mind being at home though when Jack and Sean were around. They always made sure I didn't get too bored. Jamie was constantly stopping by to see how I was and if I needed anything and Linda had even came and stayed with me when I was still too injured to be left alone. I was able to walk again but only a little. My feet were still an angry red and purple with very fresh scars and a little bit of swelling. The doctors were afraid that the amount of damage might have caused the nerves to loose feeling and there was a high possibility that I would never walk again. I'm thankful that they were wrong. It was still a learning process and it was very hard. I could make it from the bed to the bathroom if I had help. However, I was too stubborn to walk with a cane or a walker and I was still too weak to even try crutches especially since I didn't even really have a "good" foot to walk on yet.

I was currently stretched out across the couch reading a book while listening to the radio. Jamie was coming over later and he was bringing lunch. Hopefully it was something good because we were out of food since Danny hadn't had time to go shopping. I knew that if I needed to I could call Erin and she would pick up groceries for us but I didn't like imposing. Even though that's what it's felt like the last few months.

Danny had been working late the last few days because he was investigating the murder of a young woman and a child. I had seen the file and read the report. Single gunshot wound to the head on the little boy and the woman had been stabbed repeatedly through the chest. He wouldn't say it but I knew it bothered him. Cases involving children always bothered him, but it also didn't help that the woman was the same age as me and that we both had the same kind of hair. He would come home and just hold me for hours until he fell asleep. I had managed to get him to talk about it some but not much. I figured that he would rest easier once he found the killer. I had told Jackie to make sure he was okay and she told me that she would watch him.

There was a knock at the door before the sound of the lock turning and when the door opened I saw the smiling face of Jamie,

"Hey Kyla."

"Hey Jamie, please tell me you brought something good." He laughed as he shut the door,

"Well," he came over and sat down next to me before opening up the bag, "I brought subs, a big bag of chips, and two sodas." I hugged him,

"You are my favorite Reagan." He laughed,

"What about Danny?"

"Eh, he doesn't bring me subs." He shook his head as he turned off the radio and turned the television on. I took the remote from Jamie and flipped the channel. I grinned when I saw what was on and Jamie groaned,

"Why?"

"Because it's my television and I like this show."

"Technically it's Danny's and this is a weird show."

"No it's not." He gave me a look,

"A man who runs around in a bow tie chasing aliens with a screwdriver and uses a telephone box as a spaceship, Kyla it's a weird show."

"You just wish you had their accent. Second he's the Doctor, it's called a **sonic** screwdriver, and the spaceship is the TARDIS." He rolled his eyes,

"You weren't into this until you went to Wales."

"I didn't know this existed until I went to Wales. I've been missing out on the joys of British television." He chuckled,

"What joys are there of British television?" I smirked at him,

"Do you really want to know?" He shook his head,

"No, no I do-"

"Doctor Who, Torchwood, Merlin, Top Gear, The Graham Norton Show, Inspector Lewis, Sherlock-" He clamped his hand over my mouth,

"Okay, shut up I get it. You are obsessed with British television." I chuckled,

"Only the good stuff." He rolled his eyes,

"How does Danny put up with this?"

"Some of it he likes, I have to explain some things to him like what certain words mean. He likes the cop shows like Inspector Lewis and Sherlock. The boys like to watch Doctor Who and Merlin, especially Merlin because of all the King Arthur stories I've told them. Danny usually watches those with us and he won't admit it but he likes them. He doesn't care for the other shows really, but he'll watch them with me anyways." Jamie stuck his tongue out,

"Blah, Danny's gone soft." I chuckled and we continued to watch the show. When it was over I flipped it over to the news to give Jamie a break. We watched that for another ten minutes before Jamie's phone rang, "Hello… hey Danny what's up…yeah sure, everything okay… alright I'll tell her… yeah no problem… bye." He closed his phone before looking at me, "Danny said he was going to be home late tonight. They got a lead on the guy who killed that woman and her son. He and Jackie are going to do a stake out tonight and he wanted me to stay with you."

"You don't have to stay-"

"I already told him I would so deal with it." I laughed,

"Alright, alright."

"Well, since I'll probably being staying the night here I'll go get my bag out of my car and change. Oh, and when I get back no more British shows, please." I laughed even harder,

"Only because you said please."

It was almost two in the morning and Danny and Jackie had been sitting outside of Terrance Myers house for almost six hours. He worked a night shift and he was due to arrive at any moment. He and the victim were high school sweethearts but she left and he was apparently heartbroken. She soon married the captain of the baseball team after high school. He had killed them out of anger and in spite of her, but what he didn't know was that the boy was his son. Not the baseball players. It made Danny sick that anybody could do that to a child or to the woman. He could never harm someone else's child. He thought about Linda and how he could never do something like that to her. He then thought about how much the woman looked like Kyla. It had disturbed him when he first saw her. Jackie hit his arm,

"What?"

"I've been saying your name for like five minutes now, what's up?" He shook his head,

"Nothing, just thinking."

"Really? Then you must have been thinking pretty hard to ignore my offer of donuts and coffee after this stake out." He chuckled and she smirked a little, "What's eating you? And if you say nothing I'm going to smack you upside the head." He rolled his eyes with a smile before thinking long and hard. He let out a sigh,

"I've had a lot on my mind lately. This case being part of it, but mostly… mostly about Kyla." Jackie furrowed her brow,

"Are you worried about her?" He shook his head,

"No, I mean not any more than I already do. She's healing, she's starting to walk a little, and she's only had a few nightmares. It's not so much that I'm worried or afraid, just… I don't know, it sounds stupid, forget I even said anything."

"Whoa, hold on, no finish what you were saying."

"Nah, you'll only laugh."

"No I won't. I promise I will not laugh." He looked at her and sighed again,

"Alright, you can't tell anyone about any of this because I will deny ever telling you this." She chuckled,

"I won't now spill." He groaned and ran his hand over his face,

"I love Kyla, more than I've ever loved anyone in my life. I know she loves me too and it's not that I think she'll say no but I just… I want to do this right and I'm not sure how to do that. I mean this has to be something special and significant, because we've been through so much together since we were kids and-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down. You're starting to ramble. Danny, are… are you proposing to Kyla?" He opened his mouth a few times to say something but in the end just nodded his head dumbly. She grinned at him, "Danny, that's fantastic!" He gave her a small grin,

"So what should I do?"

"You're asking me?" He nodded, "Well, you said you wanted to make it special right?" He nodded again and she rolled her eyes, "Danny, you know her better than anybody else."

"But I don't know what to do. I mean, I want to take her breath away and-"

"Danny, before you go all romantic and make me sick let me remind you that this is Kyla. She will love whatever you do and you will take her breath away regardless. As for ideas, again you know her best. Just think about what the best memories you two have and what happened and where you were. Do you know what kind of ring you're going to get?" He blushed a bit and rubbed the back of his neck,

"I, ah, I already got the ring." Jackie gaped at him,

"When?"

"A month ago. When I went out to get groceries I stopped at jewelry store first then hit the store."

"Where are you hiding it?" He chuckled,

"At my dad's. He has it stashed in his study drawer." She shook her head,

"How long have you been thinking about this?"

"Since the day she was taken. After the first video, I spent all night looking at pictures of us and I realized that I didn't want to spend another moment of my life without her completely in it. I want to spend every day of the rest of my life knowing that she's my girl and only my girl." Jackie gave him a big smile,

"Aw, that's sweet. It's also rather disgusting to see my partner get all mushy." He gave her a glare,

"Shut up, if you tell anyone I'm going to deny it and then I'm going to throttle you, and you can't tell Kyla about this either." She scoffed,

"Like I would want to ruin the surprise. When do you plan on proposing anyways?" He shrugged,

"I don't know. It needs to be perfect though." She nodded before looking out the window,

"There's our guy."

"Time to go."

It was almost four and Jamie was asleep on the couch while I was lying in bed. It was cold and I was only half awake when I heard the bedroom door open slightly,

"If you're not Jamie or Danny Reagan then know that I have a .42 caliber gun underneath my pillow and the highest accuracy rating in my graduating class." There was a chuckle before the person walked in,

"It's me." I smiled,

"You're safe then. Was Jamie asleep when you came in?"

"Yeah, he's out like a light."

"Good, I wasn't sure how comfortable the couch would be."

"Do you really have gun under your pillow?"

"No, it's in the drawer beside me but if you were a burglar you wouldn't know that." He chuckled and a few moments later I felt the bed dip behind me and then warm arms pull me to an even warmer body.

"You're freezing." I nodded a bit before yawning,

"It's cold without you here." He kissed my neck once before kissing my cheek,

"Well, I won't be working late for a while now." He buried his face in my hair,

"Did you catch the bad guy?" He nodded,

"Yeah, we caught him."

"Good." I yawned again and he chuckled,

"Go back to sleep. We'll talk more in the morning."

"Night Danny."

"Goodnight baby girl."


	21. Always on My Mind

Time heals all wounds, including mine. Physical therapy was painful and rather annoying but it helped. It was almost April and I was getting better and better at walking. I wasn't allowed to walk by myself yet and I was still stubborn and refused to use a walker or a cane. Danny had gone with me to every physical therapy session and had been a huge help both in practice and at home. Sometimes I would get a bit down because I wasn't walking on my own yet and he would always cheer me up and tell me that I would get there. Danny kept me going even when I didn't want to. He made me do the exercises and stretch my limbs when I didn't want to and made sure I wasn't just a couch potato. I could walk short distances with a lot of help but at least I was walking.

It was Sunday dinner and we were all seated around the table eating, laughing, and having a good time when Sean asked a question,

"Hey dad?" Danny took a big bite of chicken before answering,

"Yeah Sean?"

"Are you and Kyla gonna get married?" The table fell silent as Danny and I both started choking. Jack smacked his brother on the arm,

"Sean, you're not supposed to ask that"

"What? I just wanna know." He looked at us, "Are you?" Danny and I were both beat red,

"Uh, um…" Danny looked at me and I shrugged as to what to say, "We, ah, we haven't really talked about it, Sean." Sean looked at me,

"So does that mean… you might leave us?" The disappointment was evident in his voice as well as his eyes and I felt touched that he didn't want me to leave. I swallowed and tried to keep the blush off my face as I answered him,

"Hey now, I never said I was leaving." Danny nodded,

"Yeah, it's not that we're going to split up or anything. We just haven't talked about it yet. Do you understand buddy?" He nodded hesitantly and Nicky spoke up,

"I'll explain it to him."

"Thanks Nicky." There was an awkward silence around the table before Henry busted out laughing followed by the rest of the family causing Danny and I turn even redder.

After dinner was over Erin and Jamie cleared the table and Danny helped me stand and slowly walk into the living room. We sat down on the couch and I rested my head against his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around my waist. The boys ran outside and Nicky followed after them. Erin, Jamie, and Henry stayed in the kitchen and Frank told us that they would be out in a bit. In other words they were leaving us alone to talk about Sean's question. Danny and I looked at each other in silence for a moment before we started laughing,

"That boy is going to be the death of me." I laughed,

"He definitely has that Reagan attitude of getting straight to the point." He laughed,

"Yeah, yeah he does… We haven't talked about it though." I nodded and looked up at him,

"Could you see yourself married to me?" He grinned,

"I couldn't see myself with anybody else. What about you? Could you spend the rest of your life with a knucklehead like me?" I chuckled,

"I've managed to survive this long with you so I think I can handle spending the rest of my life with you." He chuckled before whispering in my ear,

"Good, because I really had no intention of letting you go." He kissed the side of my head, "But just so you know, **that** was not a proposal." I chuckled and raised an eyebrow at him,

"Oh?" He smirked before pulling me close and giving me a deep loving kiss. He pulled back just a bit and muttered,

"No, it's a surprise though so you'll just have to wait." I grinned,

"I can do that." He chuckled,

"Good." He kissed me softly and I couldn't help but smile.

That was about six months ago, and it was a year to the day that I had been taken by Solomon and Jared and I was almost completely healed. I no longer had bandages on my hands and feet. I could walk by myself as long as it was slowly and there were only scars left. The boys were at Linda's for the week, so Danny had decided to take me out for the night. We had gone to a small Italian restaurant that had been around since before either one of us was born. We had been there so many times that they knew us by name. It was our favorite ever since we met. It was the one place that Danny and I had always agreed on when we were younger and our families wanted to go out to dinner. After he graduated high school he used to pick me up from school and take me out to lunch and we would always go to Marcello's.

After dinner we headed toward the boardwalk. It was a slightly chilly night so Danny had his arm wrapped around my shoulder as we walked. It was nice, just the two of us. No worries or cares, even if it was just for a bit. The boardwalk was always our favorite place to go together when we were younger. Not as kids but as young adults. It was one of the first places besides Marcello's that we went together with no other adults. We had walked around a bit and rode the Ferris wheel so we could see the city from up high. We watched street performers and shared an ice cream sundae which we used to do every time we came here. Danny had taken the whipped cream and smeared it on my nose. I couldn't help but laugh because that was what he **always** did when we had gotten a sundae.

Danny told me that there was one more place that he wanted to take me to. He led me back to his car before heading back down a very old and very familiar street,

"Danny?" He grinned at me,

"Just wait." When we went around the corner I gasped and almost started crying. My home. That big, beautiful, old house. I spent twenty years of my life in that house. After my grandparents died I couldn't live it that big empty house and yet I couldn't sell it either. It held too many memories. So it just sat there. I had paid to have it taken care of and every month someone would come and clean it. Lauren and Jacob used it far more than I did. They would use it for romantic getaways and photo shoots but I couldn't bring myself to go back in. He pulled into the driveway and looked at me, "How long has it been since you've been here?"

"Almost fifteen years." He smiled at me,

"Come on, I have something I want to show you." We got out of the car and he took hold of my hand, "Close your eyes." I did as he said and he kissed me once softly on the lips before he led me toward the back of the house.

Danny couldn't contain his smile as he led her toward the backyard. He had planned this for a long time and had started setting things up weeks ago. He had gotten Lauren and Jacob to help him set things up and made them both promise not to say a word about it. Once he got her situated he kissed her softly again,

"Give me one moment, and don't you dare open your eyes." She chuckled,

"Promise." He grabbed the remote off of the deck and headed back towards her. Once he was behind her he hit a button before whispering in her ear,

"Open your eyes."

I opened my eyes and gasped. The whole backyard was covered in white flowers and candles. There were white lanterns hanging from the trees and lights wrapped around the base of the tree with a white cloth wrapped around it. The fountain had little white water lilies and floating candles in them and there was music playing through the outside sound system. It wasn't just any song though it was the first song I had ever danced to with Danny at prom. It was a slow song but that hadn't bothered us. Danny smiled at me,

"Always on My Mind. Do you remember it?" I nodded,

"This was the first song we ever **really** danced to." He grinned before holding out his hand,

"May I have this dance?" I laughed and took his hand,

"Of course." He pulled me close and held my one hand to his chest while the other was wrapped securely around my waist. He pressed his forehead against mine and we started to dance. It was slower than the first time but that only made it that much enjoyable. Have way through the song he kissed me and I smiled, "This was the place where we first learned how to dance. My grandfather taught us how to dance." He chuckled,

"It was my senior prom and I had no idea how to dance. Tom taught me the steps and then made me dance with you as practice." We laughed,

"You stepped on my feet."

"**Twice**, I stepped on your feet twice." He kissed me softly again before whispering, "Besides, I got to dance with the prettiest girl around." I smiled,

"Twice actually. You went to my senior prom with me. But, you are much better dancer now." He smiled before kissing my head. When he pulled back he simply stared at me, like he was taking in every detail. I smiled a little, "What?" He shook his head,

"Nothing, it's just… you look beautiful." I bit my lip and blushed as Danny chuckled,

"You still blush when I tell you you're beautiful, and we've been together for over a year. That's what I love about you Kyla. You never focus on yourself or try to impress others. You're happy with just being you." I chuckled,

"And I still managed to get a boyfriend didn't I?" He smiled,

"Kyla, we've been together for a long time, and throughout the years we've stuck together even during the good times and the bad times. I want you to know that you mean the world to me. You've always been my best friend and you probably even know me better than I even know myself." He pressed his forehead against mine again, "You've filled the cracks and holes in my heart. **You** have mended my broken heart... I am so blessed and lucky to have had you throughout my life. I love having you in my life and I wouldn't dream of spending it without you." I felt tears prick my eyes but fought them off with a smile,

"Oh Danny, I love you so much." I laughed, "This means you're stuck with me now." He laughed,

"For as long as you'll have me." I smiled at him and kissed him once,

"Well, I have no intention of giving you up." A huge grin spread across his face as he took my hand that he was holding and kissed it before letting go. He reached into his pocket and pulled something out but kept it covered with his hand. The grin never left his face as he knelt down on one knee and at that moment I knew **exactly **what he was doing,

"Kyla Ruth Williams, my beautiful, loving girlfriend and best friend," He opened the box and my hand flew to my mouth as I gasped, "will you marry me?" Tears formed in my eyes as I nodded my head,

"Yes, of course I will. Now stand up so I can kiss you, you romantic knuckle head." He beamed at me and he stood up. I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him hard. When we pulled back he pulled the ring out of the box. I still couldn't believe what I was seeing, it was a silver Claddagah ring, "You remembered?" He nodded as he slid the ring on my finger,

"Of course I did. It was the only ring that would do for you." I smiled and kissed him again, "Did you like it? All of this I mean?" I grinned at him,

"It was very sweet, very romantic, and… words just can't really describe how wonderful all of this was." I kissed him once and he smiled,

"You know what we have to do now don't you?" I tilted my head in confusion and he chuckled, "Tell the family." I laughed,

"When should we tell them?" He thought about for a moment before he grinned,

"Sunday dinner, we can invite Lauren, Jacob, and the kids over and tell them all there."

"That sounds fantastic. I'm not sure I can keep quiet though until then." He chuckled,

"Well, we'll just have to keep busy which shouldn't be too hard seeing how we have a wedding to plan for." I grinned at him as he pulled me close again and kissed me again,

"That sounds like a lovely distraction." He pressed his forehead against mine,

"A lovely distraction with my lovely fiancé." I couldn't keep the smile off of my face at the word fiancé. **I** was someone's fiancé. More importantly I was **Danny's** fiancé and he was mine, "So, the soon to be Mrs. Kyla Reagan, may I have another dance?"

"And every dance to come." For the rest of the night we just danced there in the backyard and when we finally went home and went to bed I couldn't help but smile even as I slept. Because I was going to spend the rest of my life with my best friend and the love of my life. I was going to be Mrs. Kyla Reagan.


	22. Plan for the future and look to the past

The next day Danny called in sick and told me that we were going to spend the day deciding what exactly we wanted to do for our wedding. We stayed in our pajamas and used my lap top to look up bakeries, flower shops, and caterers. Danny had his arm wrapped around my waist as I searched for a place to hold the reception. It was going to be a relatively small wedding so we didn't need a lot of space but we just couldn't find a spot that was close to the church. We planned to talk to father Callahan after mass on Sunday. We had decided to get married in the middle of January because we didn't want to get married around all of the holidays over the next three months but we didn't want to wait too long either. We started to compile a guest list and agreed that besides his family and Lauren's we were going to invite Linda and her boyfriend, Jackie, Renzulli, a few family friends, and a few other friends from the force. At the most we figured we would have maybe thirty people. We didn't want a big huge flashy wedding, that wasn't us. We wanted something, as Danny put it, simple but memorable. We had just gotten off the phone with our seventh caterer and still couldn't find anything that we thought was good and reasonable. A thought popped into my head and I grinned as I looked at him,

"What about Marcello's?" Danny stared at me for a moment before a huge grin broke out across his face,

"I think we should go ask them."

"What now?"

"Yeah, why not?" I laughed,

"We're not even dressed." He hopped off the bed and picked up my jeans and chucked them at me,

"Just put those on and you'll be fine." I laughed,

"What and wear your baggy shirt?" He merely grinned and I laughed, "Alright, alright." Danny ran into the bathroom and grabbed his jeans and shirt while I took off my sweats and put my jeans on. When he came back out I laughed. His hair was sticking out in a few places from him rushing to pull his shirt on,

"What?"

"Your hair." I smoothed down the pieces that were sticking out and he wrapped his arms around my waist. When I finished I wrapped my arms around his neck. He just stared at me for a while before kissing me once and pressing his forehead against mine,

"I love you baby girl." I smiled,

"I love you too Danny." He grinned before he picked me up and spun me around. I laughed as he sat me down and grabbed my hand before pulling me toward the door,

"Let's go!"

"Danny, Danny! Slow down, I can't quite go that fast yet." He stopped and had a horrified look on his face,

"I'm sorry baby girl, I completely forgot that-"

"Oh shut up, it's nothing. Besides," I kissed him on the cheek, "it's cute to see you so excited and bouncing around like an eight year old." A light blush covered his cheeks and I grinned, "Danny Reagan, are you blushing?" This of course made him blush more, "You are!" He chuckled before he pulled me to him and kissed me on the cheek before nuzzling my cheek,

"And if you tell anyone I will deny it to my last breath." I chuckled,

"I saw it, and that is enough for me." He smiled against my cheek before kissing it again,

"Can we go now?" I laughed,

"Yes we can go." Marcello's staff consisted of the head of the family Marcello Jr. and his wife Anita, their sons Michelangelo and Antonio, and their daughters Isabella, Natalia, and Carlota. It was definitely a family business, and a good one at that. When we arrived at Marcello's they had only just opened and were still setting up table and chairs. Natalia was at the front organizing menus when we walked in,

"Danny, Kyla back so soon? You were here just last night." We chuckled and Danny took my hand and grinned,

"We have something we wanna ask you father if he's not too busy." She smiled,

"For you two? Never." She opened the door to the kitchen and called out, "Papa, Danny and Kyla are here. They want to talk to you." There was a clang or two from the kitchen before a robust voice filled the air,

"Danny and Kyla?" A moment later the big burly Italian man known as Marcello Jr. came out of the kitchen. He was bigger than Danny by a long shot and had huge arms. He had a tan complexion with black hair that was speckled with grey. He looked like a tough old man and he was, but he was an old softy underneath it all. He grinned at us, "What can I do for you kids?" Danny squeezed my and hand and gave me a smile before looking at him,

"Well, we were wondering if you ever thought about catering."

"Catering?" We nodded, "Well, I've never really thought about it before. I suppose if it was for something important and the people were descent enough. Why do you ask?" I grinned at him,

"Would you do a wedding?"

"Well like I said I- hang on…" He looked at us and his mouth hung open a bit, "You two?" We nodded and he grinned before he let out a boisterous laugh and pulled us both into a bone crushing hug. "Oh I never thought I'd see the day. Anita! Kids! Get out here!" Anita came out of the kitchen brushing flower off on her apron,

"What's all the shouting for?"

"A wedding my dear!" She furrowed her brow,

"Who's getting married?"

"Danny and Kyla!" She smiled at us and before coming over and hugging us as well,

"Our two little rascals getting married? My dears this is wonderful news!" The five kids congratulated us as well and Marcello grinned at us,

"If someone had told me all those years ago that you two would be getting married I would never have believed it. Danny, Kyla I would be proud to cater your wedding." Anita clapped her hands together,

"Just give us the date, time, and place and we will be there. We will make all of your favorites." Danny laughed,

"That sounds wonderful Mrs. Gallo. You can make whatever you want because you guys make the best Italian food." I chuckled,

"And you already know what we like." She grinned,

"How many people?"

"Around thirty people, not a whole lot. We're really going for just family and close friends." Danny nodded,

"How much should we pay you?" Anita shook her head,

"No, no, no. You don't pay." Marcello nodded,

"We won't take any money from you." Danny shook his head,

"We can't just ask you to make all this for us. Please, we want to." Marcello shook his head more firmly and crossed his arms,

"Daniel Reagan I will **not **take any money from you." Anita nodded her head,

"If it makes you feel better, think of it as our wedding gift for you." Danny sighed and looked at me. We really did want to pay them but we also knew that these were two stubborn old Italian folks that would not budge no matter what we said. Michelangelo chuckled,

"Just agree with them. Mama and papa won't be swayed." We sighed,

"Alright, we'll-"

"Excellent!" The lunch rush started to pour in and Danny and I knew we needed to go,

"We'll let you get back to work then I guess and give you a call to let you know when and where."

"And thank you. It means a lot to us." They grinned and hugged us before sending us on our way with fresh bread sticks. We went back to the apartment where we crawled back into bed and ate breadsticks as we continued planning.

After almost three hours we had the flowers, the decorations, the food, a guest list, a photographer, and the church. We still needed a cake, invitations, and a place for the reception. We already knew that Lauren or Jacob would take the pictures for us so that wasn't a problem, but we needed someone to make invitations for us. We knew Lauren would do them for us if we asked be we didn't want to overload them. We were kind of hoping to ask Henry and Nicky to make it for us after we told everybody on Sunday. As for the reception though, we were completely lost. There was also the question of who we wanted to be **in **our wedding. I was going to ask Frank if he would walk me down the isle since he is the only father figure I have. Jamie was going to be Danny's best man and Lauren was going to be my maid of honor.

"Danny?"

"Hm?"

"Have you talked to the boys about this?" He chuckled before kissing my head,

"I told them last week. They were very excited, especially Sean. He wanted me to ask you right then but I told him it was going to be a surprise and that they couldn't tell anybody, including you." I laughed,

"How did they manage to keep quiet?" He shrugged,

"I **may **have bribed them with letting them stay up Thursday night for that monster movie they wanted to see."

"Danny!" I smacked his arm and he laughed,

"It worked didn't it?" I chuckled and shook my head,

"What would you think about having the boys in the wedding?" He smiled and kissed me softly,

"I think that would be wonderful idea." I smiled,

"They could be your two other groomsmen and Erin and Nicky could be my other bridesmaids." He grinned,

"How did I end up with such a clever girl?"

"Luck." We laughed as he pushed me some.

The next few days moved slowly, at least they did for me. I had called Lauren the next day and asked her if she and Jacob could make it and she said that they would be there. Danny called his dad and let him know that they would be joining us. We figured Frank knew but he wasn't about to let on if he did. I couldn't wait until Sunday. It was Saturday night and I could hardly sleep. Danny got stuck working a late shift and was pushing papers too. He kept texting me every five minutes complaining about it or sending me pictures of Jackie and him goofing off. They were very funny pictures though. One was of Danny sitting on the floor underneath his desk peering out from around the corner. Another was of Jackie leaning back in her chair with her mouth open and her eyes shut, pretending to be asleep. Then I was sent another picture of Jackie and Danny looking very sorry with their bottom lips stuck out and the text read, they got caught and now I'm confiscating both of their phones until their shift is up –Sarge. I busted out laughing.

They still had an hour left and it would take Danny at least twenty minutes to get home. So I sat down on the chair and picked up a book I had yet to finish. Halfway through I got side tracked thinking about all of things Danny and I had been through throughout the years. One particular memory came to mind and that was when my grandparents died. When my grandfather died it was only a matter of weeks before my grandmother followed him. She was so alone without him and I could see it in her eyes during those few weeks the pain and heartache that resided in them. My heart almost couldn't take it when I lost them both.

_It was almost ten and she still wasn't up, and she was always up by eight. When I went into her room to check on her… she was so still. So peaceful. Tears were streaming down my face as I tried to wake my grandmother,_

"_Wake up! Please, wake up! You can't leave me! I can't loose both of you…" I started to sob uncontrollably. I felt so alone. I needed to call somebody and knew exactly who to call. I dialed the number and it rang for times before I got an answer,_

"_Hello?"_

"_D-Danny…"_

"_Baby girl, what's wrong?" I opened my mouth to tell him but all I managed was a strangled sob, "Kyla, what's happened? Talk to me."_

"_S-she didn't wake up, I went to check on her th-this morning and she didn't… Oh God, I don't wanna be alone Danny. I don't wanna be alone." I started sobbing and I heard him curse,_

"_I'm on my way baby girl." I whimpered,_

"_Please hurry." I sat on the floor next to her and just held my legs to my chest and cried. Ten minutes later I heard the front door open,_

"_Kyla?!" _

"_D-Danny!" I stumbled to my feet and ran out of the room and down the stairs he met me at the bottom and caught me when I flung myself into his arms and broke down,_

"_Shhh, it's okay. It's okay."_

"_I've lost them Danny. I've lost them both. What do I do now? I'm afraid, Danny. I'm so afraid of being alone." He held me tightly and kissed my head,_

"_You'll stay with us. As long as you have us you will never be alone. We'll always be your family. And I promise you that __**I **__will always be here to help you when you feel afraid or alone. Always." My sobbing began to die down and I was reduced to trembling. "Listen, I'm gonna go make a few calls and get somebody over here alright? I want you to go grab your stuff and then we'll head over to your place so you can get some more clothes before we go back to mom and dads alright?" I nodded and he kissed my forehead, "It's gonna be okay baby girl."_

_It was the day of the viewing and I was in the same place I was weeks ago, only this time I was alone and I wasn't sure if I had the strength to do this by myself. My parents wouldn't show up, they hadn't shown when granddad passed so I didn't expect them now. I was standing alone in the church fifteen minutes before the viewing was going to begin. I had been trembling all morning and I was biting back tears as the sound of footsteps filled my ears. I didn't turn around as I felt warm arms wrap around my waist and a kiss on my cheek. I let out a shaky breath and turned around in his arms. Danny held me tightly as I fought against the tears. I knew his family would get here early and I also knew that they would more than likely stay with me until this was over. It was a four hour long viewing and then tomorrow was the service. I pulled away from Danny and saw that he had tears in his eyes as well he kissed me head before he pulled away completely. Joe was next followed by Jamie then Erin and her husband with their two year old daughter Nicky. Henry was next who kissed my cheek,_

"_She's with Tom now." I gave him a small smile,_

"_And Elizabeth too." He gave me a teary eyed smile and nodded his head,_

"_And I can tell you, the three of them are having a ball right now." I chuckled as more tears started to slip down my cheeks,_

"_Yeah, you're right. I bet they're really happy." Next was Marry, who held me close and kissed my cheeks,_

"_Oh sweetie, I'm sorry that you have to go through this twice. But I want you to know that we will always be here for you okay? You're part of our family for good now. Every holiday and Sunday dinner, you are always welcome in our home." I nodded because I didn't trust my voice. When I hugged Frank he merely held me tightly before slowly saying,_

"_You will never have to be alone Kyla. We'll take care of you." I whispered,_

"_Thank you." My grandparents were a good people and made friends with everybody they met, so I wasn't surprised with the amount of people that had showed up. I stood up at the front near the casket like I was supposed to even though I wanted to simply run away and hide. I felt a warm hand grasp mine and when I looked beside me I felt my nerves calm, "Danny…" He squeezed my hand before pulling me close and kissing my head,_

"_I'll stand with you." I squeezed his hand back,_

"_Thank you, Danny. For everything." And for the rest of the day he stood there with me, never leaving my side. He kept me calm; he kept me from running and hiding like I wanted to. He gave me the strength I needed to carry on._

I hadn't noticed the tears that slipped down my cheeks, nor did I notice that I had three missed calls and that Danny had come home.

Danny watched her for a moment with his hand on the door knob. Tears were falling down her cheeks and she had this distant look on her face. Danny shut the door and slowly walked over to her. He knelt down next to her and gently wiped her tears away. She gasped at his touch and when her eyes met his he realized she was back with him,

"Hey…"

"Hi, what's wrong?" She shook her head with a weak smile and placed her book on the table before wrapping her arms around his neck,

"I was just lost in thought." He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up before he sat down with her in his lap,

"What were you thinking about?" She rested her head against his chest and let out a shaky breath. For a while they just sat in silence as Danny rubbed her back comfortingly,

"I was thinking about when my grandparents died. That day when my grandmother died and you came and got me. Then the viewing when you stood with me and the funeral… I only made it through all of that because of you. You and your family." He kissed her head and held her tightly. He knew this was coming, he just wasn't sure when. "I miss them Danny. I miss them so much, and… and I wish they could be here for this. It's bitter sweet. A happy day but… but without some very special people. I miss them all Danny. I miss my grandparents, I miss Elizabeth. I… miss Marry and…"

"Joe…" Danny swallowed hard as tears started to form in his own eyes. She nodded against his chest. He kissed her head again before lifting her chin so he could see her eyes, "I miss them too. More than anything I wish that they could be with us, especially when we get married. But just because they're not here, doesn't mean we can't make them apart of it." She nodded and he pressed his forehead against hers. She tried her best to fight back the sobs that were threatening to overtake her, "I know it hurts baby girl. I know." He kissed her head again and pulled her close as she lost it and started to sob.

Tears started to slip down Danny's cheeks. He missed them too. All of them. His mother would never get to see him and Kyla get married or take Kyla to get a dress and gush over her like every mother should. His mother loved Kyla like a daughter and Danny had always thought that she secretly hoped that she would marry one of her boys. If only she could see them now. Joe would probably laugh, he was the one who stuck up for her when she was being picked on and he was the one who decided to bring her home. If he only knew that that little girl he brought home all those years ago would turn out to be his older brother's best friend and future wife. His grandmother, Elizabeth, would've been happy. She and his mother would have had a field day helping Kyla get ready for the wedding. She had always told him that she had him wrapped around her finger. He had always scoffed and said that he wasn't wrapped around anybody's finger, but she was right. She had always been right he just never wanted to admit it. His grandmother was right about a lot of things and she had told him when he had just gotten back from the war for good that Kyla was going to be the one woman who was always going to be there in his life.

Tom and Ella were like another set of grandparents to him. When he didn't feel comfortable with talking about something to his own parents of grandparents he could always go to them. He and his brothers would always be over at their house doing yard work and repairing things that needed fixing. Danny often found himself staying the night as well. Ella loved having Danny over. She though he was a "fine strapping young man" and that he was just the kind of older brother influence that Kyla needed. On his twenty-sixth birthday Tom took Danny into his garage and pulled out the keys to his black mustang convertible and handed them to him. Danny tried to give the keys back to him but Tom wouldn't have it. He told Danny that it was more than just a birthday present, that it was also his way of saying thank you for always watching out for Kyla and taking care of her. Danny told him he would always watch out for her and Tom had clapped him on the shoulder with a smile and told him that he knew he could always count on him. If **only **they could see them now.

As Kyla's sobs died down, Danny was pulled from his thoughts. He looked down at her and saw that she was looking back at him. He pressed his lips against hers and softly kissed her before pressing his forehead against hers,

"Sorry for crying all over you and-and being such a downer." He chuckled,

"It was bound to come up, and we were going to have to go through it anyways. Baby girl, you cry over me anytime you want. Besides, this shirt needed to be washed anyways." She let out a laugh and he smiled. That was exactly what he wanted to hear. "Did you like the picture that Sarge sent?" She laughed harder and nodded,

"You two are just terrible. Honestly, how are you two cops let alone detectives?" He grinned before kissing her once and standing up with her in his arms still,

"It's our charm." She scoffed,

"Charm? You alone don't even have enough charm and class to make it through the NYPD ball without getting punch thrown on you." He put her down on her feet again and kept his arms wrapped around her waist,

"Hey that woman was asking for it and you know it."

"Danny you said she looked like a five dollar hooker."

"She did! And you can't honestly tell me that she didn't annoy you with the way she was going on about how much she hated the police department."

"She was second in commands date!" He shrugged,

"She asked what we thought of her dress and what was it you said? Oh yeah, 'that the color really works for you Sophia.' You liar!" She laughed as he started to tickle her,

"Hey I didn't say she looked pretty. I merely said that the color worked for her."

"It was green."

"And it worked because it distracted you from the fact that she had the worst perm ever." She tried to wiggle free from his grasp and succeeded only in getting down the hall before he caught her again and pinned her to the wall,

"I specifically remember that three years prior to that **you **slapped the Sargent from the 27th squad." He kissed her softly and she smiled a little,

"That's because he copped a feel when he asked me to dance with him. He also kept looking down my dress after I specifically told him that if he didn't look me in the eyes and no where else I was going to knee him in the crotch." He chuckled before kissing the tip of her nose,

"Oh I remember. The slap echoed throughout the room before you stomped on his foot with your heels and walked out."

"Yes and then later that night I found him being escorted out of the party holding a napkin to his bleeding nose. I wonder who could've done that?" He smirked at her before leaning in and kissing her again and muttering,

"I have absolutely no idea." She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. Eventually they did leave the hallway and got ready for bed. Tomorrow was the day they would tell the family. With that thought in mind, and being wrapped in Danny's warm embrace, she quickly drifted off to sleep.

Danny could clearly see her smiling in her sleep and couldn't help but grin himself as he leaned down and kissed her cheek. He nuzzled her neck before letting out a small sigh and shutting his eyes. Things were finally looking good for them again.


	23. He's just a big soft teddy bear

Lauren and Jacob joined us for mass on Sunday instead of going to their church and followed us over to the Reagan house. The boys arrived shortly after we did and tackled us as soon as they saw us. The boys were grinning from ear to ear as they whispered in my ear,

"Did he ask you?"

"Did you say yes?" I laughed and kissed them both on the cheek before whispering back,

"Yes he asked me and of course I said yes!" They grinned before they hugged me again with such force that the three of us fell over. Danny laughed at us and I couldn't help but grin.

"Come on boys, let Kyla up and go play with Ryan, and be careful of the baby!"

"Yes dad!" They bolted out of the room and soon enough you could hear the laughter of three little boys. Danny chuckled as he helped me up and pulled me close. I grinned,

"You Reagan boys really do get straight to the point don't you?" He smirked at me as he wrapped his arms around my waist,

"Better to get to the point than to beat around the bush and waist time." I chuckled as he kissed me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back,

"Ugh, really? Can't you two do that somewhere else where I don't have to see it? I think I might be sick just looking at you." I laughed as Danny halfheartedly growled,

"Then don't look." Jamie chuckled,

"Kind of hard when you're just standing in the middle of the living room making out." Danny kissed me once,

"Then go somewhere else."

"But I wanted to watch the game." Danny groaned,

"Go away Jamie."

"Come on Danny, please?" Jamie sounded like a little kid and Danny sighed before he gave me a look that I knew all too well,

"Jamie, you might want to-"

"Come here!" Danny turned and chased after Jamie who took off out the back door. I laughed and watched as Danny chased Jamie around the yard. Erin, Lauren, and Frank joined me by the window,

"What are they doing?"

"Acting like children. Jamie was kind of asking for it though. I'm interested to see who wins." Erin rolled her eyes,

"Danny, if he gets ahold of Jamie he's a goner." Lauren shook her head,

"I think Jamie will win, he could outrun Danny easily." The two looked at me and I laughed,

"You really have to ask?" They chuckled and then we all turned to Frank who merely smiled and shook his head,

"Jamie can only run for so long before he makes a mistake and Danny's very good at finding opportunities, and if he can't find one he makes one." Sure enough Frank was right and Jamie made the mistake of trying to make a break for it past Danny and back to the house. Danny tackled him and they began to wrestle. The four of us laughed and walked away from the window. Lauren and Erin walked back into the kitchen to help Henry and Nicky finish making dinner and Frank went into the other room to talk to Jacob. I could hear the boys running around upstairs and Amelia was crying in the other room. Jacob went to get up and go get her but I held my hand up,

"I can do it."

"You sure?" I smiled at him,

"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't." He chuckled,

"Thanks Kyla." I smiled as I headed into the study where Amelia was. I picked her up and checked her over. There was no mess and she had just been fed so I bounced her up and down lightly,

"It's okay darling. It's okay, Aunt Ky's got you." I held her in my arms and started to hum before I sat down on the chair with her. Eventually she started to get sleepy again and slowly she drifted off. I rocked her in my arms and continued to hum as I laid her back in her carrier. When I turned around I found Danny leaning against the doorframe smiling. I grinned as I silently crept over to him. I followed him out and quietly shut the door behind me. He smiled down at me and kissed me softly,

"You're great with kids." I chuckled,

"So you've said." He grinned before kissing me again,

"Have I told you're beautiful?" I laughed a little,

"Yes, you have." He smiled and kissed me slowly before muttering,

"Then let me tell you that you look positively lovely in every way possible." I felt my cheeks turn pink and he chuckled,

"If you talk any sweeter I'll begin to think that you've replace my Danny with somebody else." He chuckled and kissed me one before Nicky called that it was time for dinner.

"Almost time." I grinned as he took my hand and headed for the dinning room. We had decided to wait until dinner was almost over before we told them.

Frank watched Danny and Kyla throughout dinner and noticed that they were both grinning from ear to ear. He knew why and did his best to keep from smiling too much himself. He had noticed the other day when he went to look for a pen that the ring box was missing from his desk drawer. He also knew that it was the anniversary of the day she was taken and that his son was taking her out. His suspicions were only confirmed when Danny had called asking if it would be alright if they incited Lauren and Jacob over for dinner. Danny had said grace and Frank noticed how he had thanked God for every single person around the table and how grateful he was for such a wonderful family. Erin had eyed him suspiciously but said nothing. Jamie however told him he was going soft and Danny's response was that he was just very thankful was all.

As Frank watched his family he thought back to when Tom, Ella, Lauren, and Kyla had come over every Sunday. Kyla was only twenty at the time and Lauren was twenty four and only just started dating Jacob. Mary, Joe, and his mother were all still here as well. He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Sean whisper to Danny asking when they were going to tell everybody.

"When everybody's done. Now eat your broccoli buddy." He kissed his head and Frank caught his eye. Danny could hardly hide his grin from his father who gave him a smile in return.

Once everyone was finished and they were all just sitting around the table enjoying one another's company Sean tugged on his dad's sleeve again,

"Now?" Danny looked at Kyla who grinned and laughed a little and nodded. Danny smiled at Sean and ruffled his head,

"Yeah kid, now."

Danny took hold of my hand underneath the table and squeezed it before he cleared his throat,

"Lauren, Jacob there's actually a reason why Kyla and I invited you to dinner tonight." Lauren raised an eyebrow at me with a knowing smile and I knew right then that she **knew **exactly what was happening,

"Really?" Danny chuckled a little,

"You see, Kyla and I thought it would be easier to have you all in one place than trying to call everybody." Nicky gave us a confused look,

"Tell us what Uncle Danny?" Danny smiled at me and took a deep breath,

"Kyla and I are gonna get married." Cheers erupted around the table and soon enough so did the hugs. Erin laughed as she hugged me,

"How you agreed to marry my knucklehead of an older brother I'll never know." Danny shoved her,

"Hey I resent that." She laughed before giving me a serious look,

"I am really happy for you though. Both of you."

"Thanks Erin." Next was Nicky who simply squealed with delight before throwing her arms around my neck,

"I'm **so **excited for you! You're actually going to be my aunt now." I laughed,

"As long as you don't call me auntie. Then I'll just feel old." She laughed before going to give Danny hug. Jamie gave me a big hug and whispered in my ear,

"You're actually gonna be my sister now." I laughed,

"So does this mean I can call you Jameson?" he laughed,

"No, mom always called me that when I was in trouble." I laughed,

"Which seemed to be a lot when you were younger." He grinned before looking at Danny and I both,

"I'm really happy for both of you." Danny pulled him into a hug as Henry pulled me into a hug,

"Nice to have you be officially part of the family now. Your grandparents would be proud." I smiled at him,

"I know, my grandfather probably **never **saw this one coming though." Henry laughed,

"Who knows, but I'm sure he's smiling now." I chuckled as he went to hug Danny. Frank was next and didn't hesitate to pull me into a tight hug,

"My son is very lucky to have you."

"I'm the one who's lucky."

"I've always considered you to be like my daughter, and now that you're marrying my son you really will be my daughter now. And I am proud to call you daughter." I felt happy tears well in my eyes,

"And I'm lucky to have you… as a father." He kissed my cheek before pulling away and I noticed he had a few tears in his eyes as well. I felt Danny's arm wrap around my waist and when I looked at him he was smiling. I laughed as he kissed the side of my head. Frank pulled Danny into a hug but before I could say anything I was yanked into another pair of arms,

"I'm happy for you Kyla. I really am." I smiled and hugged her back,

"Thanks Lauren. Thank you for sticking with me through everything."

"I love you kid." I laughed,

"I love you too." Jacob hugged me next and chuckled,

"I take it you'll need a photographer for this thing won't you?" I chuckled and Danny put his arm around my shoulder,

"Actually, we did want to ask you if you would take the pictures for us." Lauren grinned,

"Of course we would!" Danny shook his head with a smile,

"Not you Lauren, Jacob?" They both gave us questioning looks and I elaborated,

"Lauren, I'd like for you to be my maid of honor." A big grin broke across her face and she threw her arms around my neck,

"Yes!" She laughed, "Of course I will!" I laughed and hugged her back. Danny looked at Jamie and clapped him on the shoulder,

"Hey kid, would you wanna be my best man?" Jamie looked rather shocked actually,

"Me?" Danny chuckled,

"If you don't think you can handle it then-"

"No! No, I mean of course I will. I just didn't expect you to ask me." He laughed and pulled his younger brother into hug,

"There's nobody else I'd rather ask." Danny took my hand again and looked at Henry and Nicky,

"We were wondering if you two would consider making the cake." Nicky's eyes went wide,

"Really?" We nodded and Henry put his arm around her shoulder,

"We'll do it." Nicky grinned and nodded her head vigorously. I smiled,

"Nicky, Erin would you two be my bridesmaids?" Erin surprised me by giggling and hugging me again,

"Yes! Of course we will!" I laughed at her excitement. Danny then leaned down and put his hands on his knees so we was at eye level with his boys,

"Would you two be my groomsmen?" Jack grinned but Sean furrowed his brow,

"What's a groomsmen?" The family laughed and Jack rolled his eyes,

"We'll do it dad." Danny grinned before pulling them both into a bear hug and kissing them. Danny looked at me and pulled me close again. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and squeezed it. I took a deep breath,

"Frank?"

"Yes?"

"I have something I'd like to ask you. I really do think of you like a father and I… well, I was hoping that you would walk me down the isle." A smile spread across his face as he opened his arms and pulled me into a hug,

"I would be honored to." I smiled as he kissed my cheek and stepped back looking at Danny and I, "Twenty years ago if someone told me that you two would be getting married I would have laughed at them. I remember when you were just kids and fighting over who got the last piece of pie at Thanksgiving." Everyone laughed and Erin shook her head,

"They still do!" Everyone laughed and I couldn't keep the grin off my face. These people were actually going to become my family. Not that they already weren't but it's going to be official.

As everyone gathered in the living room Danny couldn't help but watch his fiancé as she showed Erin, Lauren, and Nicky her ring and explained it to him. Fiancé, he loved calling her that. He couldn't wait until he could call her his wife. Jamie put his hand on Danny's shoulder, making him look at him. Jamie grinned,

"You're really happy aren't you?" Danny beamed at him,

"Yeah, I am. She makes me happy." Jamie chuckled,

"You make her happy too... Joe would've loved to see this." Danny laughed a little,

"Imagine what he would say, I mean he **was **the one who decided to bring her home." Danny chuckled as looked back at a bright eyed, grinning Kyla, "If only he knew that that clever, feisty little girl sitting on the couch would one day be my wife." Jamie chuckled,

"He would've been really happy for you. He probably would've made fun of you too because you married the one girl who could tell you off and put you in your place." Danny chuckled as he playfully shoved his brother. The girls all went over to Danny and Erin and Lauren pinched his cheeks saying,

"Aw, who knew my tough older brother could be so sweet?"

"I think my cousin's made you soft Danny." He groaned and Kyla could only laugh. Nicky chuckled,

"You better be careful Uncle Danny, you wouldn't want to lose that rough and tough image you have." Kyla laughed as she made her way over to them,

"Please it's more like a brash and bullheaded than rough and tough. He's just a big old soft teddy bear underneath." Danny started to turn red and this caused them to laugh,

"You've made him blush! I never thought I'd see the day when my brother would **actually **blush."

"Shut up Erin." He shot Kyla a look and she merely grinned at him. The rest of the night was cheery and upbeat with the thought of a wedding in everyone's minds. There were still three major holidays until they would be married but that still didn't mean that they wouldn't be special. No, as Danny sat there with his family and his one arm wrapped around his fiancé and the other around his boys he already began planning for them. Jacob said something funny bringing him back to reality and he smiled as he watched them all. He couldn't wait until Kyla and he were married. She really was turning him into a softy, but then again he had always been soft when it came to her. He'd never admit that though and there was no way he would let his "rough and tough" image take too much of a beating, but he'd always be a "teddy bear" just for her. He felt whole again, and he loved the way if felt.


	24. Never to old to have a little fun

Time moved slowly for Danny and Kyla, and quite frankly they were alright with that. Kyla went back to work and, for the time being, stayed behind a desk answering phones and pushing papers. Danny watched her constantly for any sign of pain or fatigue. He thought he was being sly about it but she knew. She always knew but she said nothing because even though it was irritating it was also adorable.

When they told Jackie and the Sarge that they would be getting married they decided that the department would throw them a party. They couldn't believe that they were actually going to an office party. It may have been a party to celebrate a wedding but it was **still **an office party. There was food, music, and even gifts. Most of the gifts were funny things like earplugs for Kyla incase he snored, Rogaine for Danny because he'd be pulling his hair out, and Jackie gave Kyla duct tape and her own set of handcuffs. When she asked why her reply was,

"I know how annoying he can get and there have been plenty of times I've wanted to tape his mouth shut, cuff him, and throw him in a closet." Kyla had cracked up laughing at her explanation and Danny just gave her a halfhearted glare,

"Thanks **partner**." Jackie had hugged them both and congratulated them and they handed her an invitation. She had said yes before she even opened it.

Thanksgiving was just around the corner and I was excited. Thanksgiving and Christmas were my two favorite holidays of the year. The plan was for Danny and I to go to Lauren's house the day after Thanksgiving and spend time with them and eat leftovers but on actual Thanksgiving day we would spend it with his family. I had always loved spending Thanksgiving with the Reagan's, mostly because it meant great food and the family football game. I had never been a fan of watching football but I loved playing in the family games. I used to push Joe's buttons by calling it American football and calling soccer football ever since I researched the origins of soccer for a P.E. project. He hated it; he always told me I was an American and should just call soccer soccer and football football. I told him it's played more with your hands than your feet so technically it should've been called handball. It drove him up the wall and we would argue about it for hours. It was quite comical actually and it always ended up with him chasing me around the house and if he caught me he'd tickle me to death. But the family games were always fun and made for great holiday memories.

Since I was no good at cooking I was not allowed to touch the food or even be part of the prepping process. If anything I was allowed to get things together and set them out on the counter before Henry, Erin, and Nicky shooed me out. I really was a terrible cook; even Lauren's dog wouldn't eat my cooking. So I spent my time with the boys. I couldn't full out run but I could sprint short distances, so the boys and I played a game of tag. Jamie and Danny joined us and when Jack tagged me I sprinted toward Danny who evaded me with no difficulty. He laughed at my efforts and eventually I gave up and went for Sean. My legs were starting to hurt so I had to take a rest. I sat down on one of the lawn chairs and winced a little when I felt my leg throb.

"Here, take these." I looked up to see Frank standing there with a glass of water and two of my pain pills. Gratefully, I smiled at him,

"Thanks." He chuckled as I swallowed them,

"You overdid it." He sat next to me and I smiled a little,

"I know, I probably should've stopped fifteen minutes ago. But it was fun." He shook his head,

"You'll never learn will you?" I grinned,

"Me? Learn? Never." He chuckled and we turned our attention back to the four boys running around. It was nice to see the four of them playing together. It was nice to see Danny and Jamie running around having fun and not shouting at each other. They had had more problems after Joe died and tried to mend their relationship. They got along now much more than they did six years ago. I remember about four years ago I got a call from Jamie the week before Mother's day. I wasn't surprised he called because he and the others would call me every now and then just to talk where as Danny was always calling me. I was surprised though to find out the reason behind his call. He and Danny had had a fight. More specifically they had a fight about Joe. After Jamie told me about what happened and how he felt I told him what I thought,

"_You need to give him time Jamie. Let him think over everything you've said. You have to remember he's had no clue you've felt this way or that he's be pushing you guys. In his own way he's been trying to get closer to you. He's your brother, Jamie. He's very protective of you, especially since Joe's death. He's afraid to lose you, but he never thought he'd lose you because of something __**he**__ did."_

"_I know but… Kyla I can't deal with it any more. I'm tired of trying to live up to his expectations of me."_

"_Then stop trying. What are you trying to prove? That you can be just like him? Jamie, Danny went to war. He's seen things that no one should see. He's watched people die in unimaginable and excruciating ways. That along with his old school ways have made him the cop he is. They're part of who he is. That's not you Jamie. That wasn't Joe either. You haven't seen the horrors of war and how that changes your perspective on everyday life. You're a sweetheart Jamie. Plain and simple. You care so much about helping people, but you want to help with as little fighting as possible."_

"_I just don't see why we can't try to resolve things through words."_

"_I know. But Danny, he's not like that. You see the best in people and he sees the worst. He sees the darkness in people's hearts because he's seen it first hand. Jamie, he finds the darkness in his own heart and it terrifies him. He's afraid to become the very thing he hunts." The line went silent for a while and I though he had hung up one me, "Jamie?"_

"_I'm here… I know he's still struggling with his demons from the war, and I want to help him. It's just… I want him to let me in. I want him to come to me for help and not make me pry it out of him."_

"_I know Jamie. I know." He sighed,_

"_Maybe I shouldn't have thrown Joe in his face like that. At least not like I did."_

"_You know, he's probably thinking that you're right, and that maybe he lost Joe."_

"_What?"_

"_You said that you told him, 'You were a hardass to him just like you are to me. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how well he did he could never get your respect.' Jamie, the thought of Joe feeling that way, feeling that way about __**him**__, that's probably eating away at him."_

"_So what do I do?" _

"_You need to let him think. He needs to realize that he did push you guys too hard and let him come to you. Don't rush him, he'll come around. But Jamie, you have to make sure he knows that Joe loved him and that you love him too."_

"_Yeah, yeah I will. Thanks Kyla."_

"_No problem Jamie. Let me know how everything turns out."_

Jamie had sent me a next later on telling me that everything was alright between them and that they were trying to rebuild their relationship. Danny had called me later that night and told me about what happened and how he and Jamie worked it out. It had really hit a nerve with him and it scared him. So to see them just running around and having fun without it being strained was nice.

Erin stuck her head out the door and shouted that it was time for dinner. We all headed inside and helped set the table. Once everything was all set in place we sat down and held hands. Jamie said grace and we dug in. Dinner was filled with laughter and light conversation that mostly centered on telling stories of when we were younger. Nicky, Jack, and Sean really loved to hear our embarrassing stories from when we were kids. Nicky laughed,

"Did you really do that Uncle Danny?" He threw his hand up in surrender,

"I didn't know she was **that **scared of snakes." Jamie chuckled beside me,

"She almost ripped her shirt off trying to get it out." I blushed and hit Jamie in the arm,

"It bit me okay; I had every reason to get it out." I shuttered a little at the thought, "Nasty things slither and hiss at you. Blah." I gave Danny a pointed look from across the table, "**You **made me cry." Nicky looked at her uncle beside her and smacked him in the arm,

"Ow, what was that for?"

"For making Kyla cry."

"She was eighteen!"

"So? I'm eighteen and if somebody put a spider in my hair or down my shirt I would probably cry too." Erin nodded,

"It's one thing to do something like that to another guy but you just don't do that to a girl. No matter how old she is." Danny looked from his father to his brother then his grandfather. Henry laughed,

"I could've told you that was a bad idea son." Frank nodded,

"Never embarrass a woman. You'll only find yourself in a world of pain and trouble." I grinned at him and he shook his head,

"I said I was sorry and I even gave you a hug **and** bought you a new shirt." I smirked at him,

"Only because you didn't want me to tell your parents." He did his best to suppress the grin that was making its way across his face but he failed miserably and ended up laughing,

"Okay, maybe. If you hadn't been crying it would've been really funny." I shook my head with a smile, "Hey you **always** had my parents on your side. Even when you were eighteen and I was twenty six, they were **still **on your side." I laughed as I took another bite of corn,

"Maybe they just liked me better than you then. I mean I was the calm and collected one between the two of us." I smirked at him as he gave me a mock glare before turning to his father,

"So dad, who was your favorite? Me or Kyla?" He shook his head with a chuckle,

"Neither, I loved you both equally. Though, if I was going to believe anybody it was going to be Kyla." I laughed as Danny stuck his tongue out at me,

"Why?" Frank smirked at us,

"Because **you **were the one who was always picking on everybody and she was the one who made you tell the truth." Henry laughed,

"One time he got in a fight in the academy and instead of coming home and facing us he went to her place. She patched him up and let him sleep there and when morning came she dragged him back over here and forced him to tell us the truth about what happened." Jack looked at his dad,

"What did happen?" Danny shrugged,

"Eh, it's nothing really." Erin scoffed,

"Nothing? Boys, your dad had gotten into a fist fight over a picture." Jack furrowed his brow and looked at his dad,

"A picture?" He glared at his sister,

"Thanks Erin." She smiled at him as Frank picked up the story,

"When she brought him home he had a black eye, split lip, and a bruised cheek. His knuckles were cut up and bruised not to mention he had bruised ribs as well." Jamie looked at him,

"What was the picture of Danny?" I saw the lightest shade of pink make its way onto his face as he cleared his throat,

"Ya know I don't really remember." Henry laughed,

"It was of him when he was twenty four and Kyla when she was sixteen. For her birthday he dressed up like Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing along with Joe and Jamie. The three of them did a whole dance number for her." Nicky and the boys were cracking up, "She had managed to talk him into taking a picture with her." Danny was turning redder and I grinned,

"I couldn't believe you had kept that. You showed up at my door looking like you had been through hell and back and I find out it was all because of a picture. Why did you even have that picture?" He took a drink and rubbed the pack of his neck before he answered me,

"I had with me when I went to Iraq. I, sort of kept it with me after that." I smiled at him as Erin and Nicky both went,

"Aw, how cute."

"My brother is just so precious isn't he?" Danny chuckled,

"Shut up Erin." After dinner was over and the dishes were cleared everybody headed outside for the game. We broke up into two teams with Frank, Danny, Erin, and Sean on one team and Jamie, Nicky, Jack, and I on another. Henry was going to be referee.

The game lasted for almost forty minutes and was filled with laughs. I ran down the "field" as Jamie threw the ball. I caught it and proceeded to run from Frank and Sean. I had to get past Erin and Danny. Needless to say I didn't make it. Danny had grabbed me around the waist and pulled me down. We grappled for the ball but in the end Jack came to the rescue and picked it up and ran it back the rest of the way for a touchdown. Yeah we cheated but it was family football, we weren't that strict. Danny and I lied on the ground laughing and trying to catch our breath. I looked over at him and met his gaze and we just started laughing again. Henry called it game over and said that our team had one. This meant that we got first dibs on pie. We all headed inside where Henry cut the pumpkin pie up and put whipped cream on top of each piece before handing us each piece. We all sat down at the table again and ate the pie. Danny and I **loved **Henry's pumpkin pie. We always had at least two slices every Thanksgiving and we **always **fought over the last one. This year was no different,

"I call it!"

"No way! You can't call it."

"And why not?"

"Because you can't!" We both raced out of the dining room and into the kitchen where the last piece was. I got to it first and quickly licked it,

"Ha! I licked it, it's mine now."

"I don't care. I kiss you all the time what's licking it gonna do?" Danny reached for it but I pulled back,

"Nope."

"Come on Kyla, can we at least share?"

"Since when have we **ever **shared pumpkin pie?" He chuckled before putting his hands on my hips and lightly pressing me against the counter,

"Never," He kissed me softly, "but I was thinking maybe this year could be different." He kissed my neck before kissing up my jaw toward my ear, "We are getting married after all." I smiled a little as I felt his hand slowly slide behind me toward the piece of pie. He kissed my jaw again,

"Well… I think not." I kissed him once on the lips before ducking under his arm with the last piece of pie. "Nice try Danny." He groaned as I walked out of the kitchen.

The rest of the day was spent in the living room where Nicky and the boys were fast asleep on the floor while Henry slept in his chair. Frank was asleep in his own chair and Jamie was passed out on the loveseat while Erin was fast asleep at one end of the couch while Danny and I were at the other end. I had my head rested on Danny's chest while he had his arm wrapped around me. He was taking slow and deep breaths and knew he was asleep. I wasn't that far off myself. I felt my eyes starting to droop and took a deep breath before shutting them completely. It felt nice to be part of a big family. I mean **really **be part of it. Not just a close family friend but actually family. I could get use to this.

Thanksgiving passed and Christmas was on its way. Danny and I were decorating the apartment before tomorrow. Tomorrow was Sunday which meant we wouldn't have time to do this before mass and dinner. We wanted the place ready for when the boys came over. We saved decorating the tree though for tonight so the boys could help us. I was hanging tinsel around the edge of the counter when I heard a crash from the living room. Quickly I dropped what I was doing and ran out into the living room to find Danny on the ground tangled up in lights. He cursed as tried to free himself. I couldn't hold back the laugh that escaped my mouth and quickly covered it with my hand. Danny looked up at me from the floor and shook his head with a laugh,

"I'm a little stuck."

"Danny, you are more than just a **little **stuck." I went over and leaned down to try and help him untangle himself. I couldn't stop laughing the whole time,

"Laugh it up baby girl." I grinned,

"I'm sorry but… you just look so funny all tangled up in lights." He grumbled about it not being funny so smiled and kissed him softly before saying, "It's also rather cute." He beamed at me before pulling me close and whispering,

"Cute huh?" And with that he pressed his lips against mine. It was slow and sweet and I couldn't help but smile into the kiss. He pulled back and kissed me once before pressing his forehead against mine. He ran his hand through my hair and I kissed the tip of his nose,

"We should get you out of these lights, before you break them." He chuckled,

"You're probably right. But afterwards I plan on finishing that kiss." I raised an eyebrow at him as I continued to untangle him,

"Oh? I didn't know there was more." He gave me a lop sided grin,

"I'm never finished kissing you." I laughed as I helped him out of the last of the lights. He tossed them on the couch before pulling me close and rolling onto his back with me on his chest.

Her hair fell to the left side of her face and Danny could keep from running his hand through it. He loved her hair, he loved everything about her. He ran the back of his hand over her cheek before running his thumb over her bottom lip. She wore no make up and her cheeks had a natural rosiness to them. Elegance was simplicity and that was her to the core. It was one of the many things he loved about her. She appeared to be just an ordinary woman and yet if you got to know her you would find out rather quickly that she was far from ordinary. She was full of passion. Passion for music, for books, for poetry, for people. She had a passion for love as well. To love and be loved. She never wanted anyone to feel unloved and she only wanted to be loved by those closest to her. Those precious few who held her love and loved her in return were the lucky ones. Because it was not everyday that such a passionate woman would chose to share a piece of her soul, a piece of her heart, with someone. Danny was the luckiest of them all though, because not only did she love him and love was returned, no, he had **all **her love. He was open to her whole soul and heart, she nothing from him and in return he opened his heart and soul to her while hiding nothing. She brought that out in him. That was something she was good at, getting other to open up. He wasn't. In fact he was quite the opposite of her in that sense. He didn't open up to people and people didn't open up to him. He'd rather take a beating or paper work than have to get all touchy feely with people. She was the one who could handle people, talk to people. She could get people to open up to her no problem. That was what she did with him. Bit by bit she would open up to him and in return he would open up to her, to the point where by the time she was fifteen and he was twenty three they had become one another's confidant. It had unnerved Danny when he had first realized that this girl who was eight years younger than him had managed to get him to open up and express his feelings to her. It also comforted him though when he thought about it because he knew everything he told her would be kept between the two of them and no one else.

That was when he first realized just how much she truly meant to him. She was the calm in his storm, when everything crashed down around him or when life gave him a low blow she was always there to mend him. If only people could see what he saw. If only they knew her like he did. Then they would see her passion, her elegance, and her beauty. Sure there is pain and heartache. She has her own demons just like everybody else. However, you would find that her pain and heartache do not detract from her beauty, no, in fact they enhance it. They make the passion and beauty shine even brighter. He sighed as he continued running his thumb over her bottom lip. To him she was beautiful. She leaned down and gently kissed him once before kissing his cheek and quietly asking,

"What are you thinking about?" She kissed him softly before he pressed his forehead against hers,

"Just about how beautiful you are, and how lucky I am to have you." She smiled a little,

"And I am lucky to have you." She took on a more serious face and ran her hand through his hair, "I'd be lost without you Danny. I really would." He took hold of her hand and kissed it,

"So would I baby girl. So would I."

When Sunday morning came around Danny and I got ready before heading over to the church where we met with the rest of the family. After the service we headed over to the house where the cooking started and once again I was not allowed in the kitchen. I ended up sitting in the living room with a book. It was a book of poems that Mary had given her when she graduated from high school. It was a well loved book and you could see that by the condition it was in. The outside cover was in pristine condition though the spine bent a little, showing that it was opened often. The pages were in condition as well though not the crisp white color of a new book. These pages were a faded white and the book had the faintest smell of coffee to it. I loved this book and had always kept it with me no matter where my travels had taken me to. I was half way through it when Jamie sat down next to me,

"Hey Kyla, what are you reading?" I should him the cover and he grinned,

"That was mom's wasn't it?"

"Mhm, she gave it to me when I graduated."

"Yeah, she used to read it to us all the time." I chuckled,

"We were the only ones who liked it." He laughed,

"Yeah, yeah we were." I could see the reminiscent look on his face and I knew he was thinking back to when we were younger,

"Would you like me to read some out loud?" He was brought back to reality and shook his head,

"Yeah, I think that'd be nice." I read slowly and made sure that I didn't sound monotone. I read for another twenty minutes or so, and every now and then I would glance at Jamie and saw that he had his eyes shut with a smile on his face,

"Though thy love may leave thee fear not, another more fitting and worthy you'll find. And when her heart is in your grasp, do not hold back show her the depth of your passion and the magnitude of desire. Lavish her with love and care and hold her through the night 'till dawn doth rise. Spare her not your kisses and loving words. Bare your soul to her and she shall not hurt you. Offer her your heart and she shall not break it. She shall soothe thy wounded spirit, mend thy shattered heart, and fill thy heart with love again." When I finished the poem and looked up I found that there was an audience, "How long have you two been there?" Frank smiled a little,

"Long enough." Nicky gave me a soft smile,

"That was beautiful." I handed her the book,

"It was your grandmothers. She gave it to me when I was your age." I watched as Nicky lightly ran her fingertips over the pages. Frank let out a small chuckle before point at Jamie and I,

"You two were constantly reading that book together." We laughed,

"He was the only boy I knew who would voluntarily read it **and **liked it."

"It's deep stuff. It gets my mind going you know?" Frank nodded,

"Your mother loved poetry. She never read anything else. She used to read it late at night when we would sit by the fireplace and everyone was asleep." Nicky smiled as she handed me the book,

"Sounds romantic." He nodded before chuckling and looking at Jamie and I again,

"She never could get Joe, Erin, or Danny to read it." We laughed and Jamie shook his head,

"Joe fell asleep every time mom read it out loud."

"Danny usually fiddled with his pocket knife and ended up nicking himself **just **so he could get away for a bit." Nicky laughed,

"What about mom? What did she do?" Frank laughed,

"She would try to pay attention but ended up braiding her hair or tying knots in it." Nicky laughed and before anybody could say anything the door opened and two boys came charging in. They ran around and said hi to everyone before dashing out in the backyard to play in the snow. Nicky stood up from her spot on the floor,

"Well, I better get back to helping fix dinner." She started to walk away when I stopped her,

"Nicky?" She turned around,

"Yeah?"

"If you like, I could let you borrow it sometime. The book I mean." A smile spread across her face,

"I'd love that! Thanks." She went back into the kitchen just as Danny came out,

"Grandpa says we've still got another half an hour before dinner should be done. What are you guys up to?" I held up the book and he groaned, "Spare me, please." We laughed,

"You really didn't like this book did you?"

"No it was terrible!" I shook my head with a smile, "Well, if you're gonna read **that**," He pointed at the book, "then I'm heading out to the back yard with the boys." He grabbed his coat and hat and started for the door,

"Don't stay out there too long!" He halfheartedly waved his hand in acknowledgement and I rolled my eyes with a smile.

Dinner went by smoothly with little controversy. We mostly talked about the pros and cons of poetry thanks to Nicky who brought up the book. When she did Erin, Danny, and Henry groaned. Henry had said that he couldn't stand all that fancy word stuff and that they should just get to the point. Danny agreed with him of course and Erin merely said that it just didn't do much for her. Frank said he understood it and why others liked it but he himself was not an avid reader of it. Jamie and I of course discussed the beauty in words and how a person can make you feel through their writing and paint such an eloquent picture with words alone. This made Danny gag and that made the boys laugh. Nicky agreed with Jamie and I and this made Erin sigh and roll her eyes,

"I blame you two for this." Jamie held his hands up,

"Blame us for what?"

"Now she's going to check out every poetry book she can get her hands on at the library." We laughed and shook our heads. The boys had asked us questions about what poetry was and what it was meant for and we did our best to explain it to them. They were still to young to truly grasp what poetry is and what it represents but I promised them that I would show them on day. Danny took a bite of lasagna and said,

"As long as you two still like sports, bugs, and dirt at the end of the day I'm okay with it. But no pansy stuff alright. Please, I beg of you not to turn my boys into pansies." I laughed,

"Poetry does not turn you into a pansy. Look at Jamie." Danny stopped eating and looked at his brother,

"I am. Please don't turn them into pansies-" Laughter broke out around the table as Jamie threw his napkin and hit Danny in the face.

When dinner was over, and the table was cleared and the dishes washed, Danny and I headed home early. We didn't tell the boys why, except that we had something we wanted to do with them when we got home. The boys were anxious to see what it was we had in store for them. When we arrived back at the apartment we made the boys cover their eyes once we were outside our door. Danny flipped the light switch on inside and plugged in a few other lights before we let them open their eyes.

"Wow…"

"Cool…" There were Christmas lights and decorations spread throughout the place. There was tinsel around the counters and lights down the hall. Nutcrackers on top of the entertainment center and Christmas candles on the end table. The tree stood in the corner of the living room and was wrapped in white Christmas lights.

"We saved decorating the tree for you guys."

"So what do you say? You up for it?" They grinned at us before launching themselves at us. We laughed as we hugged them back. Danny opened the boxes of Christmas tree decorations while I turned the radio on and found a Christmas station. We got to work and spent a lot of time laughing and messing around. There were countless tickle fights and we ended up singing and dancing to most of the Christmas songs. It took us a while to get the tree done but it was worth it. Danny and I had made a lot of memories with the boys. When we finished, Danny had lifted Sean up so he could put the angel on the top of the tree. Jack and I had put the silver tree skirt around the bottom before all four of us stood back and looked at it. It was lovely. Not because of the decorations but because of the love that went in to putting it together.

After we put the boys to bed Danny and I sat on the couch in the dark with only the Christmas lights and the tree lighting up the room and the soft sound of Christmas music filling the air. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and nuzzled my cheek,

"I love us being a family." I smiled and rested my head on his chest,

"So do I." He kissed the top of my head,

"I can't wait until I can call you Mrs. Reagan." He kissed my neck and I couldn't help but giggle. He smiled against my neck,

"Neither can I." He kissed my neck again and I had to bite my lip to keep from giggling. He kissed my neck all the way up to my ear before whispering,

"I love you Kyla." I raised my head and looked him in the eye before kissing him softly and whispering,

"I love you too Danny." He kissed me once more before I lied my head back down on his chest. The dim lighting, soft music, and the sound of Danny's heart beating lulled me to sleep. A peaceful slumber in the warmth of a loved ones embrace. And to think, I would never have to leave his warm embrace until the end of my days. I would never be without his love.


	25. Old fears and promises kept

Christmas was only five weeks away and I still hadn't gone shopping. I had no clue what to get anybody. Danny and I both had work tomorrow but I only had to do paperwork. The Sarge and Danny still wouldn't let me do much because I got tired rather quick. My strength and stamina still weren't quite back up to par. It only took me two or three hours to finish it all, so I figured I would go shopping tomorrow after I was done with my paperwork. Well, more like once I was done with Danny and Jackie's paperwork. Sarge told me that I would be allowed to go back on the job after New Year's and took a training test to prove that I was back up to speed, so that meant I was still stuck doing paper work. The best days were when I didn't have any paper work to do and Danny and Jackie let me drive them around. Jackie and I always made Danny sit in the back and he always complained that since it was "his" car then he should get to sit up front. That never worked though.

I looked at the clock and sighed. I still had an hour before I could leave. It was Tuesday and Danny was going to be working late tonight, so after my shift I was going to pick up Kyle, the boy who had the leg operation. He had gone through a whole year of physical therapy and could now walk with the help of a cane. I had promised his brother, Mack, that I would bring Kyle to see him once he could walk, and I was following through on my promise. Danny had made Kyle's hit and run case one of his side projects. He was keeping up with it when he wasn't working and sometimes he would bring case files home and we would go over them together. Since I had been off work for quite some time I had had plenty of time to go and visit Kyle. He was doing really well. He had been walking with a cane for almost three weeks now and the doctor said that in a few more months, with the help of more physical therapy, he would be able to walk without the cane. He would have a bit of a limp but that was to be expected.

A cup of coffee was sat down in front of me and I looked up to see Danny. I smiled at him,

"Thanks." He leaned down and kissed my cheek,

"I figured you could use it."

"You figured right." He sat down next to me, "Aren't you supposed to be working right now? Chasing a lead or something?" He chuckled,

"I'm allowed to have a five minute break aren't I?" I shook my head with a smile. "When you take Kyle to see his bother tell Mack that I'm meeting with a lawyer who thinks she can get Kingery on the hit run."

"He'll be happy to hear that." He smirked at me,

"Figured it would brighten up is day."

"Reagan, let's go! We've got a lead!" Danny sighed and I chuckled,

"Your handler's calling." He shoved me a little,

"Jackie is **not **my handler." I laughed as he leaned down and kissed me once, "Tell Kyle I said hello, and I'll see ya when I get home."

"Will do." After Danny and Jackie left, and my shift was over, I headed over to the neighbors house where Kyle was living. I knocked on the door and after a few minutes the door opened and revealed a grinning Kyle standing all by himself with his cane.

"Hi Kyla!" I leaned down and hugged the boy,

"Hey Kyle, did you walk all the way over just to open the door for me?" He nodded vigorously and Mrs. Pierce just laughed,

"He told us all day that when you got here **he **wanted to be the one to open the door." I laughed,

"Well I'm very proud of you. You've come a long way." He smiled that sweet smile that only a child can do,

"So have you." He took hold of my hand and swung it a little. He was thirteen years old now but you wouldn't know it. He was small and very shy. It took him two weeks to talk to me without feeling nervous. It took him even longer to talk to Danny. He was still a child at heart. Still a sweet little boy. After I had came out of my coma he and the Pierce's came to visit me and there were a few times where our physical therapy sessions would overlap. He had been a confidence booster just as Danny had. Always telling me that I could do it and that I was getting better every visit. This little shy boy with a big heart was going to do great things. I kissed the top of his head,

"We both have. Oh, Danny wanted me to tell you that he say hello. He has to work a late shift tonight or else he would have come with me." He smiled,

"Could we call him if he isn't too busy?" I chuckled,

"I think we could do that. First though we need to go visit your brother." His smile fell a little and he nodded, "Hey, it's gonna be alright." He merely nodded his head. I looked at Mrs. Pierce who gave me a sad smile and mouthed that he misses him. I nodded before taking hold of his free hand and we headed toward the car. It was a fifteen minute drive to the prison and Kyle hadn't said a word. I thought about calling Danny now, he always made Kyle laugh.

"Do you think… he'll be happy to see me?" I glanced at him and saw that he was looking out the window,

"I know he will be. Kyle, you didn't make him go into that store and try to rob those people. He was desperate and in his mind that was his only option. He doesn't blame you and he loves you dearly." I heard him let out a small sigh,

"Okay…" We pulled up to the prison and parked before heading inside. I showed them my badge and gave them my gun before we were taking to what was normally an interrogation room. I had been given special permission to have a room where the two brothers could be alone, with me in the room of course, and no cuffs or chains. Kyle and I waited in the small room while they went to get Mack. He started to fidget nervously. I took hold of his hand and squeezed it,

"Relax, it's all going to be just fine. You'll see." A few minutes later the door opened and a guard brought Mack in. He looked different from the last time I had seen him. He was much more built now and his hair was buzzed. He also looked older. He didn't look so much like the scared young man that was trying to rob a store to help his brother. For a moment the two just stood there staring at one another. Mack was in shock and it was clear as day on his face. Kyle swallowed hard before he slowly walked over to him. After his third step Mack broke down. He fell to his knees and cried. When Kyle reached him Mack wrapped his arms tightly around his baby brother. Kyle dropped his cane and hugged him back just as tightly. I smiled at the sight, Mack may be tougher now but he is still the same man on the inside. He's still that loveable brother that Kyle needed so desperately.

Eventually they pulled away and Mack asked how he felt, how living with the Pierce's was, if he was doing well in school. Kyle answered all of his questions and in the end Mack looked at me and gave me this tired, but grateful, look. He stood up and took hold of Kyle's hand and made his way toward me. Before I knew it he pulled me into a hug and whispered,

"Thank you." I hugged him back,

"I always keep my promises." When he pulled back he smiled at me,

"You're a good person Kyla. You and Danny both." I chuckled,

"So are you. You're a good brother Mack. Don't doubt that." Kyle grinned up at him and nodded his head,

"You're the best big brother I could ever have." Mack hugged him again,

"And you're the best little brother a guy could ask for." I looked at Mack with a more serious look,

"Danny wanted me to tell you that he's meeting with a lawyer who thinks she can get Kingery on the hit run." I saw an angry look flash in his eyes but in seconds it was quelled with a tired and relieved look,

"Good, then he can't hurt anymore people." He pulled Kyle into another hug and tried not to cry again. I sat down at the table and let the brothers have their moment. For the next twenty minutes they got caught up and talked about what would happen next. Mack still had a lot of time left and probably would be in prison until Kyle got out of high school. Kyle would continue to stay with Pierce's and continue homeschooling for the rest of middle school. By high school he may be able to walk well enough on his own that he could actually go to a high school.

When it was time to go the two brothers had a hard time parting. They cried and Kyle promised to write and visit him as much as possible. Mack was going to do his best to get out early. I reminded him that with good behavior he could get out early and that he needed to stay away from fights and gangs while he was in here. His brother was taken out and I was left with Mack,

"Remember what you're fighting for." He nodded his head,

"Thank you… and tell Danny thanks as well. You've both done so much for us." He glanced at his brother who was being entertained by one of the guards, "He really looks up to you and Danny. I'm his brother but you two… he looks at you like he should've been able to look at our parents." He squeezed his shoulder,

"You'll make it out of here, and when you do you're going to start over. You, Kyle, and the Pierces. I'll give them your address so he can write you." He nodded again and swallowed before hugging me one more time,

"Thanks." And with that Mack was taken back into custody and escorted back to his cell. Kyle and I headed back to the car. There was some sadness to his eyes but I mostly saw happiness. When we got into the car he looked at me,

"You were right Kyla, he was happy to see me." I laughed,

"Of course he was!" I chuckled before I thought of something, "Hey, are you hungry?" He nodded, "How about we stop and get something. What sounds good, pizza or a hamburger?"

"Hamburger!" I laughed,

"Okay, hamburger it is." He grinned at me and his face lit up as something crossed his mind,

"Can we call Danny now?" I chuckled,

"Yes we can call Danny now." I pulled out my phone and dialed his number. I put it on speaker phone when I heard him pick up, "Hey Danny, you got a second?"

"Yeah what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. Someone just wanted to say hi." I handed the phone to Kyle who grinned,

"Hi Danny!" Danny laughed,

"Hey buddy how's it going?"

"Good, I just saw Mack."

"How is Mack?"

"He's good. We got to talk and he gave me a lot of hugs." I knew Danny was grinning on the other end and so was I as I pulled out of the prison.

"That's great! You gonna write to him?"

"Yup! I'm gonna write to him every day." Danny chuckled,

"I'm sure he'll like that. You and Kyla having fun?" I smirked,

"He's with me Danny, of course he's having fun!" Danny and Kyle both laughed,

"Yeah, we're having fun. We're going to get hamburgers!" I heard Danny groan,

"Aw, no fair. I want a hamburger." I laughed and so did Kyle,

"You should come with us!"

"I wish I could buddy but I'm stuck at work still." I cleared my throat a bit,

"How did that lead go?"

"Not good, we didn't get anywhere. We came back to the precinct and are going through some of the suspects priors." Kyle stuck his tongue out,

"That sounds boring." Danny laughed,

"It is boring." I chuckled,

"Well, we'll let you get back to work."

"Bye Danny!"

"Bye Kyle!"

"Love you Danny."

"Love you too baby girl." And with that we hung up. When we pulled up the little burger joint near his house he couldn't have been happier. He sat there happily munching away on french-fries we asked me something that completely caught me off guard,

"Kyla, when you and Danny get married will you have kids?" I choked on my burger and took a big drink of water. I could feel my face heating up and rubbed the back of my neck,

"Uh, we, um…we never really talked about it." He tilted his head to the side a little and frowned,

"Do you want to have kids?"

"Um, I suppose so. I mean, I haven't put a whole lot of thought into it. I guess if kids come our way then okay and if not that's fine too. He already has two kids so I don't know. I'm fine with just the two of them." I was starting to ramble now, "Um, what brought that on?" He shrugged,

"I was just thinking that you and Danny would be good parents. You like kids…" He looked down a little and mumbled, "I wish you were my parents." My heart melted,

"Oh buddy, I wish you and Mack were my kids too. I wish I could take care of every child who didn't have a family to love them and take care of them. Your parents are really missing out. They had two of the best kids and just gave up. It got too tough and so they quit. And I'm sorry but you and Mack got caught in the middle of it." He nodded his head and I could see he was still saddened by the thought of his parents leaving them like they did, "Come on, I'll buy you a milkshake before we head back." He smiled at that and we went to the counter where he ordered a chocolate shake.

When we made it back Mrs. Pierce was waiting at the door. She had a smile on her face as we got out. I walked him to the door and before he went in he turned around and gave me a big hug,

"Thanks Kyla, for everything." I chuckled and hugged him back,

"No problem kid." He pulled away and Mrs. Pierce lead him back inside.

As I drove home I thought more about what Kyle had said. Could I be a mother? Not a stepmother but an actual mother? I had thought about it in passing but not like this. I shook my head, Danny and I weren't even married yet for crying out loud! I chuckled to myself,

"Cross that bridge when you get there Kyla." I went home and curled up on the chair where I quickly fell asleep.

Danny couldn't help but smile to himself when he found Kyla fast asleep on the chair. Kyle probably wore her out. He put his coat on the back of one of the kitchen chairs before moving towards her. Gently he lifted her up off the chair; she curled up into him and snuggled down into his chest. He couldn't stop smiling as he carried her toward their room. He pulled back the covers and tucked her in. He brushed her hair out of her face before leaning down and kissing her forehead. Quietly he shut the door behind him before going back into the kitchen. He grabbed a plate and heated up some leftover spaghetti. When the microwave went off so did his phone. He looked at the caller ID and sighed. It was his dad,

"Yeah dad?"

"Danny, could you come over tomorrow after work I'd like to talk to you." Danny pulled the plate out and headed toward the chair that Kyla had been in,

"Dad, can't you just tell me now? I had planned on going home after work tomorrow since I wasn't working late." The line grew quite and through a mouthful of spaghetti Danny asked, "Pop you there?"

"Danny," His father's voice was grave and it unnerved Danny, "you need to come over tomorrow after work." Danny sat his plate on the table beside him,

"Dad, what is it?" He sighed,

"Son, they want her back." Danny's heart raced,

"Who dad?"

"Arbogast." Danny swallowed the lump in his throat and his voice came out as a harsh whisper,

"No…" Frank let out a heavy sigh,

"He wants her back undercover."


	26. Dance with me this Christmas

A sea of emotions coursed through Danny as his father's words sunk in. She couldn't go back undercover. She couldn't! He couldn't lose her, not now. Not when they were about to get married.

"Danny, you there?" Danny was brought out of his thoughts as he cleared his throat before croaking out,

"Yeah, yeah I'm… I'm here."

"Now son, you know it's her choice. She doesn't have to go back in. She can say no." He swallowed hard,

"Yeah…"

"Your Sargent will talk to her about it tomorrow." Danny didn't say anything and Frank sighed, "Danny, you'll need to talk to her about it."

"I know dad. She's um, she's asleep so… I'll talk to her about it tomorrow."

"It's going to be okay son." Danny didn't believe him,

"Thanks for the heads up dad." Danny hung up the phone and let out a frustrated growl before throwing it across the room. It hit the couch and fell to the floor with a small thud. Danny let out a sigh and put his head in his hands. They didn't need this. They really didn't. He knew that she didn't want to go back but he also knew how pestering Arbogast would be and how persuading he could be. He would play on her feelings of her duty to her job and the need to protect. He would tell her that she was the only one who could do it right the first time and that no one else would be as qualified to pull it off as her. He would guilt her into it. Danny couldn't let that happen. He couldn't let him do that to her, to them. Danny looked at the plate of spaghetti next to him and realized he'd lost his appetite. He stood up and took the plate into the kitchen where he put it back into the container and then the fridge. He picked his phone up off the floor and headed to bed. When he saw her curled up on her side with her face buried in her pillow he couldn't help but smile a little. He pulled off his shirt and pants and tossed them aside before crawling in next to her and pulling her close. He kissed her cheek before burying his face in her hair. He wasn't going to let anything happen to her. Not again.

The next morning when I woke up I expected to find myself wrapped in Danny's warm arms; however, when I did wake up I found that I was alone. I frowned a little. He was never up before I was and if he was he always stayed in bed with me. My frown deepened when I found him out in the living room cleaning his gun. He only cleaned his gun when something was really bothering him. Silently I walked up next to him and knelt down on my knees. Gently I took hold of his arm with the gun. He stopped cleaning and looked at me. I could see a mixture of fear and anger in his eyes. I licked my lips and whispered,

"Hey." He whispered back,

"Hey."

"What's bothering you?" He sighed and looked back at his gun, "Danny?" He sat his gun down before looking at me again,

"Pop called last night."

"Is everything alright? Is someone sick or hurt?" He shook his head,

"No, everyone's okay. It's um…" He looked away from me again and I lightly took hold of his chin and turned his head toward me. I placed my hand on the side of his cheek,

"What happened?"

"Arbogast… he wants you back undercover." I pulled my hand away from his cheek and my mouth fell open.

"What?" He looked to the floor,

"Sarge is supposed to talk to you about it today."

"Hey, look at me." He did and I leaned forward some and kissed him softly, "I won't make any decision without talking to you first alright?"

"Kyla-"

"Hey, I know what's at stake now. It's not just me anymore. It's both of us. It's our life together. I won't jeopardize that." I pressed my forehead against his as he took my hand and brought it up to his lips. He kissed it once before holding it to his chest,

"I don't wanna lose you."

"I know, and you won't. I'll always be here with you, always." He let out a heavy sigh and nodded some,

"Always." With that I pulled him up and he pulled me into a hug. He held me tightly for a few minutes before he let go and kissed my head, "We should probably get ready to go." I nodded. I knew he didn't want to talk about it yet. At least not until we knew what was being asked of me. I would hear him out but in the end it was my choice, and I wasn't going to be doing any more dangerous cases. I couldn't put Danny through that, it wouldn't be right. The ride to work was rather silent and that was okay. We were both rather dreading this. I really had no desire to go back into undercover work but I would hear him out. When we got to work Danny took hold of my hand and held it tightly as we walked in. It wasn't even five minutes before Sarge called me to his office. I looked at Danny who gripped my hand tightly. I kissed his hand before kissing his cheek and whispering,

"It's going to be okay." Slowly he let go of my hand and I got up and went into his office. He shut the door behind me and there sat Arbogast,

"Detective." I nodded in response. Sarge sighed,

"Kyla, I know you're not gonna like this and quite frankly neither do I, but Arbogast has an undercover operation coming up and he'd like you on it." I locked eyes with Arbogast,

"You do realize that I haven't done undercover in almost seven years right? And that the last time I went undercover I was tortured and my partner was killed and then five years later I was tortured again." He nodded,

"I do."

"Then why the **hell **are you asking me?" He sighed,

"Because you're one of the best."

"Hold on, before you continue I think my fiancé should be here."

"Detective, you know that's against the rules."

"I don't care. He's going to be my husband and I won't keep any secrets from him let alone make a decision that affects us both without talking to him about it."

"Detective-"

"I can say no and walk out of here right now." He stared at me for a long time before he sighed and nodded,

"Fair enough." Sarge opened his door and called or Danny.

"Reagan." Danny's head shot up,

"Yeah?"

"In my office." Danny shot up out of his chair and quickly made his way into his office. By the annoyed look on Arbogast's face and the look of controlled anger on Kyla's he figured that this was not going how Arbogast planned. Kyla looked at him and she relaxed some. Danny stood next to her and she took hold of his hand. Arbogast looked at the pair for a moment of two before he sighed,

"Alright, we've been tracking a group of underground illegal fights. The rules of the fight are loose. Cheap shots are allowed and-"

"Blood lust. They want to see blood spilt." Kyla had cut him off. Arbogast nodded,

"Yes, it's a no gloves or safety gear kind of fight. It's run by an arms dealer in the back of a club, and if we can get him on the illegal fights than we can tie him to the arms dealers."

"What does this have to do with me?" He sighed,

"We'd like you to pose as one of the fighters." Danny tensed and his grip on my hand tightened, "You would have a trainer who will be another undercover cop. The bar tender will be undercover as well. We can get a few in the crowd as well for safety measures." I stared at him for a long time before I let out a shaky breath,

"Um, I, uh…" This was a lot to take in and quite frankly it made me dizzy,

"We're still in the process of setting it all up. We look to start in February." I looked at Danny and I could see the pleading look in his eyes. I squeezed his hand before looking back at Arbogast,

"I'm sorry, but I can't. I can't do that to my family." I looked at Danny, "I can't do that to him." I saw the relieved look in his eyes as he pulled my hand up and kissed it. Arbogast sighed,

"Detective Williams, you are the best in this field. There is no one else more qualified than you and-"

"Hey, if she says no then she means no." Danny was getting angry and I placed my hand on his arm in an attempt to keep that anger at bay,

"Detective Reagan, this matter is up to her and I understand your concern but-"

"Really?" Danny leaned against the desk and his voice dropped to a deadly level, "Because I don't think you do. I had to watch the woman I love suffer twice because of this undercover work. She was in a comma! For weeks, I sat there and I waited. I prayed every waking moment that I would get her back. So excuse me for wanting to be concerned about the wellbeing of my fiancé. But I am not gonna let you try and bully or manipulate her into doing something she doesn't wanna do." I gripped his arm a bit tighter and whispered,

"It's okay Danny." Arbogast sighed,

"I am not trying to bully or manipulate her. It's her choice whether or not she wants to help us. But she is the most-" Danny let out a frustrated growl and I cut in,

"Enough, listen, I appreciate the offer but my answer is no." Before he could say anything I looked at Sarge, "Can we leave now? We have work to do." He nodded his head,

"Yeah, I'll take it from here." Danny was staring Arbogast down and I had to more or less drag him out of the room. When we were out of his office I dragged him back outside. The cold air whipped around us as I placed my hands on either side of his face. The anger that burned in his eyes began to subside,

"Hey, I am right here and I am not going anywhere. It's you and me remember? We stick together till the end of time, and there is no one or anything that can keep us apart." He sighed and wrapped his arms around my waist. He pressed his forehead against mine before kissing me softly,

"I know… I know."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

For the rest of the day Danny and Jackie were out working a case and I did the paper work. When I finished I went out and did my Christmas shopping.

It was Christmas Eve day and Danny and I were wrapping Christmas presents for the family. Danny and I had decided to get Henry a case of wine, one that was he and my grandfather's favorite kind. We got Frank a framed picture of all the kids and grandkids. Jamie, Erin, Nicky, Danny, me, Sean, Jack, as well as Lauren, Jacob, and their kids. Below that was a picture of Danny, Erin, Joe, Jamie, Lauren, and I from a long **long **time ago. On the bottom of the frame it was engraved with everyone's names in their own handwriting. We even had Joe's signature on it, we got it from one of his letters to Danny while he was overseas. For Erin and Nicky we got them a mother daughter necklace and a copy of the poetry book I had let Nicky borrow. For Jamie we got him a new watch with his name engraved on the back. And for Lauren and Jacob we got them each new cameras and the kids, of course, we got them toys. The boys weren't going to open their presents until tomorrow afternoon when they came over for dinner. They were going spend the morning with Linda and then the afternoon with Danny and I. They would open their presents before we headed over to the house for dinner with the family. Tonight though was Danny and I's night. He had a surprise for me, an early Christmas present he said. All he said was that we were going out, and that was it. I wasn't sure what it was but I knew I was going to like it. Especially since he had even managed to keep the boys from telling me what it was.

I had wrapped Danny's presents weeks ago and hid them at the office in Jackie's desk. I had to hide his presents because he was always snooping around trying to get a glimpse as to what they were. He'd never admit to sneaking around looking for them but I had caught him numerous times in the past. I had thought long and hard as to what to get him for Christmas. I got him the James Bond collection on DVD along with a new phone and a new lap top. His old phone was cracked and some of the features didn't work anymore. Probably from him throwing it on tables and at walls when he's angry. I chuckled, this one would get an Otter Box case. The toughest one I could find. I got him a lap top because his old one was outdated. Christmas, for the longest time, was a painful time for me. It wasn't until I was twenty that I actually started to really enjoy it. Every year I had held on to the vain hope that my parents would come on and we'd spend it together like a family. I had tried not to make it obvious when I was younger, but I would go through the mail every day in December looking for a letter or a Christmas card from them but there never was. I would look out the window every few minutes the day before Christmas and on Christmas day but they never came. I did my best to hide my disappointment but they knew. They all knew. That first Christmas with the Reagans, when I was just a kid, Danny had caught me looking out the window.

"_What are ya looking for?" I glanced at him before looking back out the window,_

"_My parents."_

"_Did they say they were coming?"_

"_No, but they might. They could be trying to surprise me or something." I hadn't told Danny much about my parents except that they were very busy people and that they traveled a lot. I didn't tell him that it had been four years since I had last seen them and two years since I had even heard from them. _

"_Kyla, it's almost five and it's Christmas day… I don't think they're coming." I shook my head,_

"_Christmas isn't over yet Danny. You don't know, they… they could be stuck at the airport or… or in traffic. Maybe they lost your address and they're waiting at home until I get back. Maybe…" I was on the verge of tears as Danny's words sunk in. He was right. It was another year and another Christmas without my mother and father. _

"_Hey, it's okay…" Gently he pulled me away from the window and I buried my head in his chest, gripping his shirt tightly. I fought off the tears as best I could but a few managed to slip down my cheeks,_

"_Why don't they come home? Why do they leave me alone… on Christmas, Thanksgiving, my birthday…" My voice sound small and weak and I hated it. I still cried over them and I don't know why,_

"_I dunno baby girl. I dunno, but I promise you that you won't be alone. You've got your grandparents and you've got the whole Reagan family now." He held me tighter and kissed the top of my head, "We're your family now, okay? And family looks out for one another. So from now on you're gonna have me looking out for ya." I chuckled,_

"_Is that supposed to be comforting?" He laughed and I smiled a little, "Thank you Danny."_

"_Anytime baby girl. Anytime."_

Danny remained true to his word. Every holiday, big or small, we spent them together. Every birthday and every Christmas from that point on was filled with Reagan's and Williams'. It was stilled filled with Reagan's and Williams' and there was no doubt that it would always be filled with the two families. It seems rather funny now that my family and the Reagan's had spent so much time together and yet it had never occurred that maybe one day along the line our two families would be joined. Yet here we are. Less than a month away from the two being joined. Less than a month away from being Mrs. Reagan. I wonder what my parents would think if they knew? What would they think of me and Danny getting married? They only met him a few times and that was so long ago… would they approve of it? Would they approve of me marrying a man who was almost ten years older than me and was divorced with two sons? Would they approve of me marrying a detective? Probably not. In fact they probably disown me for all of it. I wondered if they even knew what I did for a living. Did they know I became a cop and then a detective? Did they know I had specialized in undercover work? I shook my head, trying to rid myself of those questions that plagued my mind. This wasn't the time to dwell on those. In fact there was no need to ever dwell on them again. They were no longer a part of my life, they made that very clear.

"Hey baby girl, you ready to go?" I looked up at him from my spot on the couch,

"Well that depends, where are we going?" He chuckled before leaning down and kissing me once,

"Nice try, but I'm not telling." I smiled and stood up,

"It was worth a shot."

"You might wanna wear something warm. Like a scarf, gloves, a hat." I gave him a suspicious look,

"Danny, what are we doing?" He merely grinned at me,

"Come on, I'm not gonna ruin the surprise." I shook my head but did as he said and pulled on my coat, gloves, scarf, and hat. I looked at him,

"Am I good?" He chuckled before pulling me close and wrapping his arms around my waist,

"Very good." I rolled my eyes with a smile,

"You are so cheesy."

"Aw, but that's why you love me." He leaned in and softly kissed me. It was sweet and I couldn't help but smile as he pulled away,

"Even after all this time I still like kissing you." He smirked,

"Well, I like kissing you. So I guess it's a good thing then that we're getting married since we both like kissing one another." He kissed me again and I couldn't help but laugh,

"Sarcasm will get you nowhere." He chuckled as he pulled away and took hold my hand before heading for the door,

"Coming from the most sarcastic woman I know."

We drove for about twenty minutes before Danny pulled over. I looked around, trying to get an idea of what we were doing but came up with nothing,

"Danny, where are we?" He chuckled,

"It's a surprise. Now come on, we're almost there." I grumbled as we got of the car,

"You and your surprises." He laughed as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. We walked down the street and around the corner. There in front of me was an ice rink, filled with people,

"Danny?" I looked at him and he smirked at me,

"Come on." He pulled me along until we came to the entrance where there was a rather large line of people waiting to get in. Danny just passed them all, "Hey Pedro!"

"Reagan! Right on time, come on in." He opened the door and I followed Danny in, "Have a good time now."

"Thanks Pedro."

"Thank you Danny." When we were inside I looked at Danny and raised an eyebrow at him,

"I may have helped him out when he was in a jam."

"Uhuh." He chuckled,

"Stay here, I'll be right back." As he walked over to the counter I couldn't help but look around. What the heck were we doing here? I couldn't rollerblade let alone ice skate. My questions were soon answered when he returned holding two pair of ice skates. He grinned at me, "Here you go." He handed me the smaller of the two and I chuckled,

"Uh, Danny, I can't skate."

"I know." I gave him a suspicious look,

"So, why are we here then?" He chuckled as he sat down on a bench and started to pull his shoes off,

"Just put the skates on will ya?" I gave him a look and put my hands on my hips. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before giving me a small smile and clasping his hands together, "Please?" The pathetic look on his face was what broke me. I sighed as I sat down next to him and proceeded to pull my shoes off,

"I don't know why I'm doing this." He chuckled before leaning over and pressing a kiss against the side of my head,

"Because you love me." I pulled on the one skate and started to tie it,

"Mhm, sure."

"Just trust me."

"Alright, I trust you." When we both had our skates on, we made our way over to the ice. I held on to Danny's hand as we made our way over and cursed as my legs started to bend in and out. Danny tried to hide his smirk but I saw it and smacked his arm, "Shut up." He laughed,

"I'm sorry."

"No you're not."

"You're right I'm not."

"I can hardly walk in these things. How do you expect me to be able to skate? I'm gonna fall on my face or something!" He laughed again as we carefully got on the ice. My grip on his arm instantly tightened. I held on to him tightly as we slowly made our way around the rim. We stayed on the rim because I refused to let go of the side.

"Just shuffle your feet, one in front of the other. It's like walking."

"No it's not!" He laughed and my feet slipped a little and I gripped him and the wall tighter to try and stay up. I let out a small shriek and he laughed, "Shut up Danny."

"Ya know, you're gonna have to let go of the wall eventually."

"No I don't."

"Yes you do." Slowly he pried me away from the wall. I tried to pull against him, tried to hold on to the wall as long as I could but Danny was far stronger than me and so I left my stable wall.

"Danny…"

"Relax," He held onto me tightly as he leaned in close and whispered in my ear, "I won't let you fall."

"You'll catch me?" I looked up at him and saw that caring look in his eyes. That warm and tender look that was underneath that hard, stubborn exterior,

"Always." He pressed a soft kiss against my lips before pulling back. Slowly he started to move forward and more or less dragged me along. He chuckled, "You have to move your feet." So I gently moved my feet forward, one in front of the other. "There ya go. See, you're getting the hang of it." I let out a breath I'd been holding,

"Yeah… this isn't so bad. I think I can- AHHHH!" My foot slid a little too far forward and I started to go, but, true to his word, Danny caught me. I had my eyes squeezed shut as my face collided with his chest. I gripped his coat tightly as he steadied me. He chuckled and I felt my face go red, "Shut up." He kissed the top of my head,

"I told you I'd catch you." After repeating the cycle of me almost falling, shrieking, and Danny catching me for almost twenty minutes I started to actually get the hang of it. Well, I got well enough for Danny to let go of me for a bit as long as I moved **really **slowly. Music was playing through speakers around and there were people skating backwards and dancing on the ice. One of these people happened to be Danny who was showing off as *NSYNC's song It's Gonna Be Me came on. I couldn't help but laugh though as he danced liked a teenager from the eighties. I had seen him dance as a teenager and I had seen him dance as a grown man. I found him attractive either way but the teenage dancing was much funnier. I laughed even harder as he started to sing to it, "But in the end you know it's gonna be me…" I lost it and started to crack up. Truth be known he didn't care for *NSYNC or any of the boybands. He always used to laugh at Erin and I for liking to listen to boybands when we were growing up. But back in the day that was the hottest thing out there. At the end of the song he danced his way over to me before taking hold of my hand and pulling me along. I was still rather nervous about skating but I was enjoying myself all the same. He tried to get me to dance with him but it more or less ended up with me clutching his arms as he pushed us around. Honestly he could've been dancing with a dead body I was that terrible,

"This is crazy!" I laughed, "You are ridiculous you know that?" He smirked at me,

"So I've been told. So, what do you think of your gift so far?"

"So far? There's more?" He nodded, "Well, I really like it so far. More than I thought it would." He grinned at me.

"Good, I wanted to do somethin' different and fun."

"Well, this has been a lot of fun Danny. Really it has."

"Good, I'm glad you like it. But," We made our way out of the rink and over towards a bench, "this is only part of the gift. The rest of this gift is at home."

When we got back home he made me take off my shoes and winter clothes before making me close my eyes. I did as he asked and waited, anxious to see what he would do. I heard a series of clicks before I was told to open my eyes. All the lights were off except the Christmas lights which cast a soft, warm glow over the room and Christmas music filled the air. He grinned as he held his hand out to me,

"May I have this Christmas dance?" I beamed at him as I took his hand,

"Yes, you may."

He pulled me close and slowly we danced. He had every single one of my favorite Christmas songs and by my favorite artists playing. There was Michael Bublé, Matt Goss, and Frank Sinatra. All very smooth very slow songs. It was a simple gift but it meant so much. It was something that I had told him I wanted to do when I was sixteen. I had told him that I wanted to go to a Christmas dance. That there was nothing compared to dancing at Christmas. He remembered. I put my head on his chest and closed my eyes, "I can't believe you remembered." He chuckled as his arms secured themselves around my waist,

"Of course I remembered. Believe it or not but I remember everything you've ever told me." I chuckled,

"Is that so?"

"Well, just about everything." I smiled and a comfortable silence fell over us once again. I don't know how many songs we danced through, nor did I care because I was extremely happy and content to dance the night away with him.

Once we made it through all of the songs Danny pulled me to the couch,

"I'll get us something to drink." I sat down and nodded. He went into the kitchen and while he was gone I grabbed the blanket off of the back of the couch. A few minutes later he came back with a cup of hot chocolate and peppermint coffee. I laughed as he handed me the hot chocolate,

"You just can't give up that coffee can you?" He chuckled as he sat down and pulled me close,

"No I can't. But I am drinking the Christmas coffee."

"Yeah that took me weeks to talk you into getting." He kissed the top of my head with a smile as I covered us with the blanket, "Tonight was amazing Danny. Really, it was. It was a lot of fun and very sweet of you."

"You're a special woman, you deserve a special gift. But, I do have a few other gifts for you." I laughed,

"I thought that this was my gift?"

"It was, but it was just one."

"Danny you didn't-"

"Yes I did. It's Christmas and I want to buy things for my lovely fiancé." I shook my head,

"Stubborn man."

"Stubborn woman." I looked up at him and saw the warm look in his eyes, that feeling of love and tenderness poured out of him. I leaned up and kissed him softly,

"You're a wonderful man Danny Reagan. We could be poorer than poor and I would still want to marry you." He kissed me once,

"So would I. So would I." For the rest of the night we stayed their on the couch, drinking hot chocolate and coffee, and listening to Christmas music.

The next day was chaotic but fun and memorable. Danny and I exchanged gifts before heading over to Linda's to pick up the boys. Danny had loved what I had gotten him, especially the James Bond DVD's. He had yet again managed to surprise me by getting me a collection of old books. There were seven total and they ranged from Edgar Allen Poe to Jules Verne and it even included Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. All had elaborate covers and none were cheap. Not only that but he took my gun and got it repaired, cleaned, and got my new initials engraved on the side: KRR. Normally this isn't a very romantic gesture but for a cop, it was actually very helpful and the books were very sweet.

We bought Linda a bottle of wine since her boyfriend was going to be over after the boys left. It was my idea to get her something and Danny had actually suggested the wine. When we got there the boys came charging out of the house,

"Dad!"

"Kyla!" They threw themselves at us and we caught them in bear hugs,

"Hey!" I kissed Shawn on the head, "How's it going kid?" Sean and Jack were both hyper and rambling about all of the cool new things they got,

"I got a new soccer ball and- oh! Oh! We even got a-a new racecar game!" I couldn't keep from smiling because their grins were so infectious. I looked at Danny who was grinning as well. I couldn't wait to see what their faces would look like when they opened our gifts. Linda had made the boys write a list of what they wanted and then the three of us got together and went over who would buy what, so that way neither of us bought them the same thing twice. Danny leaned down so he was eye level with them,

"Hey boys, why don't you go get your coats and then we'll hop in the car ad go over to grandpa's. Then you can open the rest of your presents." This sent them flying back into the house while Linda stood at the door and laughed,

"They have been so excited all morning to show you guys what all they got." We walked up and met her at the door where we hugged one another,

"Merry Christmas Linda."

"Merry Christmas Kyla." Danny and Linda kissed one another on the side of the cheek, "Merry Christmas Danny." He smiled at her,

"Merry Christmas Linda." I handed her the bag with the wine,

"We got this for you."

"You really shouldn't have." Danny wrapped his arm around my shoulder,

"We wanted to." I nodded,

"We thought you could use it tonight for when your Christmas date comes over." She laughed as she opened the bag. When she pulled out the wine her mouth hung open,

"Wow, guys, this is some high class stuff." I chuckled,

"It was one of my grandmother's favorites. She always served this on holidays so we thought it fitting." She smiled before hugging us both,

"Oh thank you guys. It won't be wasted that's for sure." We laughed as the boy came running out of the house. They each kissed Linda and shouted,

"Bye mom!" Before running for the car. Danny and I laughed,

"We'll see you later Linda."

"Have fun! And tell your family I said Merry Christmas!"

"Will do!" The whole way over to Frank's the boys chattered nonstop about what the got and what they were going to do with them. Danny was grinning from ear to ear and I was smiling as well. I liked this. I like it being Danny, the kids, and I. I liked feeling like a family. Kyle's idea of Danny and I having kids began to creep back into my head and for once I didn't shake it away. I tried to picture myself as a mother and carrying for a baby but I found it rather hard to imagine. It was easy to picture Danny as a father because I had seen him when his boys were born. Heck I helped him babysit before he could do it on his own. But watching a baby or small child for a few hours is nothing compared to having them for at least eighteen years. Danny was a natural as a father, there was no doubt that he could handle it. The thought of the two of us having a child together was almost more than my mind could grasp. A life formed from the two of us, equally him and equally me. Though there is the saying, just because you have children doesn't mean you should have them. Should I be a mother? I was screwed up in the head, that much was certain what with the nightmares and paranoia but could I even **have **kids? I had been tortured and I was a cop so I had taken a few hits here and there. The thought made me sad actually. I mean it would be nice, if we wanted, to at least have the option of having kids. I mean I didn't know if I wanted them or even if Danny wanted any more but to have the option would be nice.

I was pulled from my thoughts though when I felt Danny's hand on my cheek. I jumped and looked to my right to see him standing there with the passenger door open and a concerned look on his face,

"Hey, you with me?" I looked out the window and saw that we were already at the house,

"Yeah… yeah I just got thinking is all." He held his hand out and helped me out,

"You sat there for quite a while. I said your name three or four times and you didn't even look at me. You looked a little sad too. Care to share?" I smiled at him and kissed him once,

"It was nothing really, just a though was all." He nodded his head though he didn't fully believe me when I said it was nothing. He let it go though and we went in the house for presents and dinner.

There was singing, laughing, and talking all throughout the house. The boys were so excited when they saw all the toys and games they got and gave us both hugs before running around and playing with them. The food and desert were great, as always, and in the end we had a wonderful time. It was another holiday with the family I loved most. And in twenty two days I was going to get the best gift anyone could get, I was going to be married to Danny and spend the rest of my life as his wife.


	27. Church bells and old wounds

**Again I apologize for it taking so long to update. I wanted this chapter to be perfect and I wanted to make up for my absence so this chapter is 23 pages long. Please forgive me, I'm in my last semester of my freshman year of university and I'm trying my hardest to update sooner. I promise you that I'll update faster and you won't be disappointed with what's to come. Just because their married doesn't mean the story's over. I have more drama in store for our favorite couple so please bear with me. I'd love to hear what you thought so please review, they drive me to update sooner. Cheers!**

It was New Years Eve and sadly I was spending it alone. Danny and Jackie got a case that was given top priority and the boys were at Linda's. I didn't mind though, New Years wasn't really a big holiday for me. It was more of just a big party, now mind you I loved a good party but I just wasn't in the mood for it. It was almost four and my plan was to spend the rest of the day in sweatpants and Danny's shirt while watching hours upon hours of FRIENDS and eating the leftover mac and cheese Danny made the night before. But when Erin called and asked if I wanted to come over I couldn't say no. She suckered me into it really. She said it would just be me, her, and Nicky. That we could bum around the place and still watch FRIENDS but do it together, and she promised chocolate ice cream and told me I could spend the night. I caved and called Danny to let him know what I was doing and he told me to have a good time and that he was sorry he wouldn't be home. I told him not to worry about it and that I would see him tomorrow. I grabbed a small duffle bag from the closet and threw some clothes into it as well as my DVD collection of FRIENDS before heading off.

I was glad I joined Erin and Nicky for the night. We had a lot of fun just being girls and wearing comfy clothes, laughing, eating ice cream, and talking. We were currently on the third season and half way through our first bucket of chocolate ice cream. When the episode ended Erin went to call Frank and wish him and Henry a happy New Year while I went to change the disk over, and that was when Nicky started asking questions,

"Kyla?"

"Yeah?"

"When you and Uncle Danny get married what will I call you? I mean do I call you Kyla or Aunt Kyla?" I chuckled,

"Which ever one you want to call me." She nodded her head and paused for a moment,

"What was it like for you when Uncle Danny was overseas fighting in Iraq?" I let out a puff of air and ran a hand through my hair. I wasn't expecting that question,

"I was scared. I was absolutely terrified that he was going to get hurt or get killed. I didn't know what would happen if I lost him. The week before he left I spent as much time as I could with him, and when he left I made him write me almost every week and call me at least once every couple of months. Every letter was conformation that he was alive and well. I skipped classes at school sometimes because I hadn't heard from him for a while and I was scared something had happened to him." I chuckled a little, "I had a nervous break down in the school cafeteria one time after I hadn't heard from Danny in almost two weeks and the guys at our table didn't know what to do." She laughed a little, "I was all out bawling with these big tears running down my cheeks and making this hideous face. I'm sure I scarred them for life." We laughed and she shook her head,

"Would you have been more scared if you and Uncle Danny were dating at the time?" I thought long and hard about that question before I finally came up with an answer,

"No, because I would've done everything the exact same way. I felt the same about him then as I do now except I didn't see our connection as a romantic one back then. You know when I was eighteen your uncle was twenty six."

"Wow."

"Yeah, could you imagine going on a group date and your friends show up with their eighteen, nineteen, maybe twenty year old boyfriends and you show up with your twenty six year old, well built, marine boyfriend? I mean mouths were dropped and girls were swooning when we went to prom together." She pulled a face and laughed,

"I can't see girls swooning over Uncle Danny. I would've thought his temper would've scared them all away." It was my turn to laugh and boy did I ever,

"Nicky, your Uncle Danny has scared off plenty of people, women included, but he has a charm that somehow manages to attract them just as well. When he was in college he was a partier."

"Uncle Danny?"

"Oh yeah. A really big partier. Then again so was I in some aspects. But he was the worst. He would bring home a different girl every week and each one was dumber than the last." She frowned a little and gave me a look,

"Did Uncle Danny sleep with them?" I smiled at her,

"No sweetheart. Your Uncle may have brought them home to show off but he was still a good guy at heart. Always a gentlemen. That and when he first brought one home I told him that if he did something stupid, like sleep with them, he'd wake up with rats in his bed." She laughed, "Danny is old-fashioned at heart with youthful tendencies. Like dancing, Nicky I am telling you that man can dance better than anyone I have ever met. Give him a good beat and he's gone." She laughed again,

"So you weren't worried then?" I shook my head,

"No, because that man can't hide a thing from me. Sometimes I think I know him better than he knows himself."

"You know, I've never seen two people so in love before? My parents were never like that. How do you know? How can I have what you have?" I took hold of her hand and squeezed it,

"That trust comes from being completely and openly honest with each other. When the bad times come and you get through it together. When you can sit together in a comfortable silence, and the small things mean just as much as the big things." I smiled a little, "When you're crying and he makes you laugh because he can't bear to see you cry. That's when you know Nicky."

"Kyla's right." We looked to the couch to see that Erin had joined us again,

"Mom, I didn't-"

"It's okay Nicky." Erin sat down next to us, "Your father and I loved each other, we really did." She sighed, "We just didn't love each other to the same extent as the other did. And you can't have that in a relationship. Love isn't just a one sided thing, you can't love enough for the both of you. Love is something two people have to shoulder together." I gave Erin a sad smile and took hold of her hand and squeezed it. She gave me a small smile and squeezed back, "Kyla's right though, you'll know when you've found that person." Nicky hugged her mom before hugging me. I chuckled a little before looking at her,

"So what brought all this on, hm? Is there a boy that you're interested in?" Nicky blushed a little and a smile started to spread across her face and Erin laughed,

"There is! And you didn't tell me."

"Who is he?" Nicky laughed,

"His name's John. He's in my English class. He's thinking of joining the Navy which is why I asked you about what you felt when Uncle Danny joined the marines. He's a really sweet guy and he's not a partier. He's a good guy." I raised an eyebrow at Erin and she merely raised one back before asking,

"So how serious is this?" Nicky rolled her eyes with a smile,

"We're just friends… but I would like to go out with him and a couple of other friends next Saturday."

"Where?"

"The movies then to get a pizza."

"Have I met John?" I laughed,

"Erin, let the girl go. She's eighteen and they're just going out as friends." She gave me a look, "If things progress from friends and group things to boyfriends and dates **then **you could meet him."

"I don't know…"

"Please mom, please?" She looked from Nicky to me before sighing,

"Okay-"

"Yes!"

"**But**, be home by eleven and text me when you get to the theater." We laughed as Nicky pulled her phone out and started texting her friends. We went back to our marathon and when midnight came we watched the ball drop before going back to watching FRIENDS. It was probably three in the morning when we fell asleep on the couch. Empty cartons of ice cream on the table and the DVD menu running.

When morning came we begrudgingly got up and picked up our mess. Erin offered to make breakfast but I told her no thanks and that I needed to get home to Danny. After I changed and hugged them both I left. When I got home I found the apartment quiet. I saw his shoes and car keys so I knew he was home but I didn't see or hear him anywhere.

"Danny?" There was no reply so I kicked my shoes off and dropped my bag on the chair before heading back to the bedroom. I smiled when I saw him lying half under the covers on the bed with his shirt and jeans still on. Poor thing, he must have gone straight to bed as soon as he got home. Quietly I crept over to the other side of the bed before crawling in next to him. Gently I put my head down on his chest and pulled the covers up. I shut my eyes and smiled when I felt his arm lightly wrap around my waist. I took a deep breath and went to sleep again.

Danny couldn't contain his smile, it was a week before the wedding and he and his family had taken off from work to prepare. Erin had taken charge of making sure everything was in its place and everything was accounted for. Danny and Kyla were grateful for her since they were both nervous about getting themselves ready. Danny had taken the boys to get tuxes and get his altered a bit. Kyla was going back to the dress shop to make sure her dress still fit properly in all the right places. Danny had seen the bridesmaid dresses but he hadn't seen the wedding dress. That was something that Kyla wouldn't show him. She wanted it to be a surprise and he was interested to see it. He thought she'd be beautiful in a potato sack, but he knew she was going to be absolutely gorgeous in her dress and he couldn't wait to see her in it. Everything was going as planned and all the details were in place. It was only a matter of days before he would finally get to marry her and make her Mrs. Kyla Reagan.

It was two days before the wedding and Danny and I were celebrating our engagement together with family and close friends. We thought about having separate parties the night before like most but then we realized we weren't like most couples and we didn't want to spend it away from one another. We also decided that tonight we would just enjoy the party because tomorrow was the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner which Henry and Nicky insisted on doing. We thought of the two days as just one big family party, which it was. Besides the Reagan family we invited Lauren and her family, Linda, Jackie, Sarge, and Renzulli. Renzulli and Sarge both told stories of Danny as a young cop and wild stories from some of his cases. Jackie had a ball with that and told of all of the bonehead things he had done while they were partners. Lauren had her fair share of stories to tell about me and Jacob recalled the story of when he first met me and I had threatened to kill him and hide his body if he hurt my cousin,

"She was serious too!" Everyone laughed, "I was literally scared for my life for two or three weeks." I smirked at him,

"The offer still stands Jacob." Another round of laughter and another round of drinks for everyone. Jamie and Erin also had their fair share of stories about Danny and I as kids. However the question everyone wanted to know the answer to was how a ten year old girl could make a rowdy eighteen year old boy behave. We didn't really have an answer for them because we didn't entirely know ourselves except for the fact that we found a mutual trust and understanding in one another. Frank answered the question actually,

"It was because she put him in his place, that's where it all began. When Jamie and Joe brought her home and Danny started to pick on her. She didn't cry or get scared and try to hide; she got angry and then…" He smirked at us, "she outsmarted him." We all laughed and Danny nodded a bit,

"She let me have it that's for sure. I knew then that I was gonna like this girl. Of course I thought she would be my accomplice but instead she was my consciousness." I laughed,

"Hey, I remember being you accomplice on a **lot **of things."

"You never got caught!"

"That's because I knew a boneheaded idea from a good one." Erin snorted,

"He was a magnet for trouble." Jamie nodded,

"Still is. You caused more problem than Joe and I put together." Danny threw a pillow at his brother,

"Yeah and I could also take you and Joe at the same time and beat ya both down." Laughter filled the room as more stories were exchanged and Lauren told a particularly embarrassing story about when she first moved in with me and I had forgotten to tell her that I would be home early one day. She nearly killed me when I had walked in the door. She had me in a chokehold and on the floor in less than a minute. I learned my lesson that was for sure.

As the night went on so did the laughs and the stories. Danny and I were sat on the couch with his arm around my waist, and we were laughing and having a good time. We played cheesy party games that everybody played and ate food and drank wine. Well, when I say **we **I mean that I drank a glass and a half while everyone else drank multiple. The kids played some of the games with us but mostly ran around upstairs. Nicky joined us though she wasn't allowed to drink. She enjoyed listening to the stories though. Erin was currently telling a story about when Danny had gotten into a fight during high school and came to my grandparent's to hide out and have me "treat" his wounds. The doorbell ran and Frank got up to get it.

"So she brings him home and **makes **him tell mom and dad what happened. He hid at her house for three days!" Everybody cracked up as Frank came back into the room and leaned against the doorframe looking very solemn.

"What's wrong dad?" Frank pursed his lips as he looked at the floor before looking back at Danny then to me,

"Frank?"

"There's someone here for you Kyla." And with that two people came into view as Frank moved out of the way. Both were around Frank's age now, tanned, and wearing expensive looking clothes. To top if off they had these big, stupid grins on their faces. My smile fell and my eyes widened,

"M-Mother… fa-father?" The air became thick making it hard to breathe and my head was spinning. Words were said nut I didn't hear any of it due to the blood pounding in my ears. Everyone started to get up and headed up the stairs or into the kitchen leaving Frank, Henry, and Danny. Lauren put her hand on my shoulder silently asking if she wanted me to stay. I reached up and grasped her hand and gently squeezed it letting her know that it was alright. Danny squeezed me closer to him. I sat there dumbly as they came towards me and hugged me and kissed my cheek before shaking Danny's hand. I shook my head a bit, "W-What are you doing here?" My mother chuckled,

"We're here for your wedding of course."

"But I... I didn't send you an invitation." My father nodded,

"Yes, quite rude that was."

"I didn't know where to send the bloody thing!" My mother smiled,

"Well that's alright because we've kept tabs on you and heard you were getting married." My father nodded and wrapped his arm around my mother's shoulder,

"Yup, always checking up on you." I was completely dumbfounded but that feeling quickly melted away as a raging anger began to build in me,

"You've kept tabs on me?" They nodded, "For how long?" My father looked at my mother,

"About fifteen, seventeen years I'd say." My mother nodded before turning to look at me with this big, stupid grin,

"You didn't think we wouldn't keep up on you did you?" Those words set my blood on fire and I became consumed with rage,

"So you knew? You knew when my grandparents, **your **parents, died? You knew when I was taken and tortured. Not once, but twice. **Twice**! I was in the hospital and you **never **thought to come and see me?" I was standing now and pacing back and forth.

"Yes."

"By the time we heard anything it was all over. We saw no reason to come back."

"No reason?! **I'm **not a reason?! I **needed **you! **You **were my parents andyou left me! You **left **me! I was never important to you was I? You never wanted a child."

"Oh sweetie-"

"No! If you had you would've stayed! You don't love me, you never have and you know what? That's okay. That's really okay because I don't love you either. I mean how could I?" I let out a bitter chuckle, "You were never home long enough for me **to** love!" Everything was coming out and my fathers face was turning red with anger,

"Young lady I am still your father and-"

"No you're not. You gave up that right; you signed me over to your parents. You **gave **me up. They were my real parents. Not you. You know why I've never called you mum and dad? Why I've only ever called you mother and father? Because that's all you ever were. My mother and father. You weren't the loving, warm parents like your own parents were. You were only responsible for creating me and that was it. So, if you came here thinking you were going to walk me down the aisle and be a part of the most important day of my life than you're wrong." My father spat at me,

"Then who will?"

"Frank. Because he has always been there when I needed him. He was the dad you **should **have been." My mother intervened. She tried to keep up the sweet voice but her smile was strained and the annoyance in her voice was clear,

"Now, sweetheart, we **are** your parents. You should try to be nic-"

"You abandoned me! You didn't care when I was almost killed twice or even come to your own parents funeral! I was never enough for you, why couldn't** I** be enough?" By now tears were streaming down my face and I could do nothing to stop them as I began to break down into hysterics. Danny had his arms wrapped securely around my waist. He kept kissing the side of my head and neck, trying to keep me from completely breaking down as he whispered soothing words into my ear. I pulled against him a little but he held me steady, "Now you think you can show up again and just be part of the most important day of my life? You don't even know anything about Danny, about his family… you don't even know anything about **me**!" Danny had me anchored to the spot as he kissed me temple,

"It's okay baby girl… they're not worth it." I took a deep breath as he placed a kiss against my neck,

"Get out." The shock was evident on their faces,

"Excuse me?"

"Leave! Just leave." I turned around in Danny's arms and buried my head in his chest. I squeezed my eyes shut to try and keep from crying anymore. I didn't want to cry in front of them.

Danny's grip tightened around her as he kissed her head before glaring at her parents,

"You need to leave. Now. You've caused enough damage for one night."

"She's our daughter I-"

"She **was** your daughter, but she's **my** fiancée! And I'm telling you to leave. You were never there for her growing up so you don't get to be here for her now." Her father looked at him in disgust before spitting out,

"You can't kick us out." Frank stepped up to him,

"No, but I can. This is my house and I'm telling you to leave before I have you escorted out. There are five other officers in this house and all are under my command. Now leave." Begrudgingly they headed toward the door where Henry stood holding it wide open. He shook his head,

"Your father would be ashamed of you. Of both of you." Frank stopped them when they were just outside the door,

"You should have been there for her. You were her father, and you abandoned your only daughter. I'm a father of four and a grandfather of three… and I cannot understand how it made sense in your head to give that up. You know the facts about her but you don't know her. What she likes, doesn't like, what makes her happy or upset. You don't know the loving, spirited woman she has come to be. You will never get that time back, and you'll never know what you lost." And with that Frank shut the door. That was when the sobs came. They racked Kyla's chest as she let out all the pain and hurt that had built up since she was a child. Danny's shirt was clutched tightly in her hands as he ran his hand through her hair whispering in her ear.

Frank and Henry headed for the kitchen after giving Danny's shoulder a squeeze. Danny held her close to him and kissed her head,

"Why didn't they want me Danny?" Her voice was hoarse and cracked when she spoke, "Why didn't they ever come home? Why… why wasn't I… ever enough?" His heart broke for her. Them showing up again in her life was always supposed to bring happiness, answers, or closer, but it only made things worse. All it brought was heartache and misery. There were no answers just old wounds to be reopened.

"You were more than enough baby girl. They didn't know what they had and they're stupid for letting you go." Danny pulled back a bit and took my face in his hands. He kissed my cheeks, my forehead, and my nose before wiping away my tears and kissing me softly, "I'm so lucky to be marrying such a beautiful, strong, and caring woman."

"I'm such a mess." He smirked a little,

"Yeah but you're a beautiful mess." I laughed,

"You always do that." He pressed his forehead against mine,

"Because what I told you all those years ago is still true today. Because I love to see you laugh, not cry." I smiled a little and held him tighter, burying my face in his neck,

"I love you Danny."

"I love you too baby girl."

The party was over and everyone who was involved in the rehearsal tomorrow was spending the night. Our friends went home after a few encouraging words and hugs and the family all went to bed. Lauren had pulled me into a tight hug and for a long time neither one of us moved. When we did pull away she gave me a comforting smile,

"It's gonna be okay Ky. It's all gonna be okay. You're still marrying that brute over there." I let out a small laugh,

"Hey I resent that." Danny wrapped his arm around my shoulder and Lauren chuckled before nodding at me,

"Make sure she gets some sleep tonight." He nodded and she walked away. I looked up at him,

"She doesn't trust me to sleep tonight." It was more of a statement than a question but Danny knew I was still looking for an answer,

"No, she knows that you'll stay up half the night replaying all that's happened in the last half an hour trying to change things. When instead you should be sleeping, because you can't change the past baby girl. You can only move forward." I sighed, they both knew me far too well. I nodded a bit,

"I suppose you both are right."

"Of course I'm right." Danny smiled a little before pulling me upstairs to his old room. I had changed into Danny's baggy NYPD shirt and a pair of his boxers before I quickly got ready for bed. My mind had been elsewhere and I had more or less just gone through the motions. It wasn't until I was lying in bed and Danny had pulled me close to him that I was brought out of my thoughts, "Go to sleep baby girl. Don't think about it, about any of it, just try and get some sleep." I let out a sigh as I rested my head against his chest. He kissed my forehead,

"Okay… goodnight Danny."

"Good night baby girl."

The next morning Danny woke long before she did and found himself tangled up with her. His arms were wrapped around her waist as her hands wrapped around his and their feet were tangled together. He didn't have the heart to wake her so he just lied their and enjoyed the feeling. He could clearly see the red puffiness underneath her eyes and the dried tear tracks along her cheeks. He sighed and lightly kissed her head. He knew she had questions, and frankly so did he. Why now? Why did they choose now to come back? She had a built a life without them and they just expected to walk back in and be part of it? The more he thought about it the more it bothered him. As much as he didn't like them they were still her parents and if they were trying to be apart of her life again… should they try and integrate them into their life? Would she lose sleep over turning them away and lose the chance to feel like a whole family? Would she burn that bridge?

Danny knew that in this moment she would burn the bridge without a second thought, but he wanted her to think about it from ten years from now. Would she be happy without them being a part of their lives? Would she regret not at least trying to let them in? He needed to talk to her about it at some point during the day but for now he would let her sleep.

Frank sat in his study and watched the sun rise through the window. Slowly he drank his coffee as the sound of the fire crackling filled the room. There was a lot to do today and this new problem was going to add a lot of stress to the day. The two envelopes he held in his hand felt heavy. He had read them over multiple times in the last few months to the point where he remembered every word of both letters and still couldn't quite believe what he had read. He let out a heavy sigh before setting one of the envelopes down and taking the other over to the fireplace where he tossed it into the flames. He watched as the paper began to crumple and turn black. It wasn't important anymore and he doubted that it would ever be important again. When he sat down again he stared at the other envelope for a long time before sitting his coffee down and opening the letter once more.

I groaned as my head pounded and curled further into Danny's arms,

"Come on baby girl, it's time to get up." I shook my head slightly and her chuckled, "Come on, we've got the rehearsal today." I sighed but opened my eyes none the less. Danny smiled a little, "There we go." It took me a moment or two to wake up before it all came rushing back to me. I sighed again and looked down a bit,

"It wasn't a dream was it… my parents were really here…" Danny lifted my chin so I was looking him in the face and I saw the caring look in his eyes.

"No, it wasn't a dream." His voice was soft and soothing and did a lot to quell the anger I was feeling, "I'm so sorry baby girl." I took a deep breath before shaking my head and sitting up,

"It's okay… it doesn't matter. And you know why? Because I'm marrying my best friend and I'm going to have a wonderful time." I was already up and picking out my outfit for the day when Danny came up behind me,

"Kyla, we've gotta talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about Danny. They're not coming and I don't care if I ever see them again or not."

"You know that's not true. You still care, I know you do. Kyla, this is the moment you've been waiting for your whole life. I know that they're timing isn't perfect and that they've hurt you so much but do you really want to burn that bridge now? Do you want to lose them forever? To **never **have them be a part of your life again?" For a long time I stared at the clothes in front of me. Did I want to lose them forever? He was right, this was the chance I had been waiting for my whole life. Was I really going to throw it away now? I sighed. My anger and hurt would have to be put off for another day. If they wanted to try and reconnect than I would at least consider it.

"Okay…"

"What?" I licked my lips and turned around,

"They can come. I'll give it a try." He smiled at me before pulling me close and hugging me, "I'm not saying that we're going to be this happy little family or that I've forgiven them but… I'm open to trying it." He kissed the side of my head,

"That's my level headed girl." I scoffed,

"No this is subdued. I'm still angry." He chuckled,

"I know… I'm proud of you though."

"For what?"

"For letting them come. I know they hurt you baby girl and if kicking the crap outta them would change things believe me I'd be all over that." I smiled a little, "It took a lot of courage to say the things you said and then to agree to invite them."

"Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"Stop talking. You're starting to sound like a kid sucking up to his teacher." He let out a loud laugh before he grabbed my sides and began to tickle me. I couldn't stop laughing as Danny continued his assault,

"So I sound like a suck up huh?" Tears were rolling down my eyes as we fell back onto the bed.

"Danny stop! I can't breathe!" Eventually he let up and my giggles died down. He smiled down at me and I smiled back,

"I meant it though when I said I was proud of ya." I put my hand on his cheek and whispered,

"Thank you."

The rest of the morning went by with only a few bumps and bruises. At first everyone was walking around on eggshells around me until Danny and I explained to them what our plan was. Lauren said she would go and talk to my parents. Something that I was very grateful for though I was concerned about how well she would be received. I wondered if my parents would even acknowledge her since she was shunned from the rest of our family. Lauren assured me that she could handle it and I believed her. I had made it a point to not think about my parents today unless I absolutely had to. The next two days were supposed to be fun and happy and I was not going to let anything change that.

I stood at the entrance of the church while Danny stood at the end. I was a bundle of excitement and nerves as Frank took hold of my arm,

"Are you excited?" I grinned at him,

"I am. I'm also kind of nervous." He chuckled,

"You know, on Mary and I's wedding day I was so nervous that I was going to mess up my vows that I had practiced all night. But when I saw her standing there in front of me, looking as radiant and beautiful as she did, I didn't feel so nervous anymore. And I just spoke from the heart." I smiled at him before squeezing his arm,

"Thanks Frank, that meant a lot." He smiled,

"You're gonna do fine. Besides, this is rehearsal. You're allowed to mess up." The jolly tone in his voice made me laugh,

"As long as I don't actually mess up tomorrow we'll be good."

Jamie smiled at Danny and nudged him,

"You ready for tomorrow?" Danny grinned at him,

"I've been ready for this for a long time kiddo." He chuckled,

"I'm really happy for you Danny. You deserve to be happy and Kyla's a great woman." Danny smiled before pulling his younger brother into a hug,

"Thanks kid. I knew there was a reason I picked you for best man." Jamie laughed,

"Wait till you hear my speech." Danny was about to make some sarcastic reply but stopped when he saw Kyla and his dad walking toward them. She wasn't in a wedding dress, she didn't have makeup on, and she didn't have her hair all done up but he thought she looked beautiful. He couldn't keep the grin off his face as they walked towards him. She was grinning as well and that warmed his heart. She was just as excited as him. Danny would even go as far as to say that they were practically giddy with excitement. When she was right in front of him the priest went over what would happen and what would be said. They agreed to keep their vows a secret for the actual wedding. They wanted to be surprised. As the rehearsal started to come to an end Danny held his arm out to her and she took before they started to make their way through the pews. Danny leaned closer to her and whispered,

"I could marry you right now." She laughed,

"So could I." Danny beamed at her before kissing her cheek.

The family headed back to the house where Henry and Nicky started cooking. Everyone was laughing and having a good time. It was good day despite the awkward night before. Lauren slipped away without anyone seeing but when her absence was noticed, everyone knew where she was.

Lauren let out a breath she'd been holding as she knocked on the hotel door. There was a series of shuffles before the door opened,

"For the last time we didn't order any- Oh…" Mrs. Williams, formally Ms. King, stood there in shock for a moment before straightening herself, "Lauren."

"I'm here to speak to you and your husband on Kyla's behalf." She hesitated before opening the door further and motioning for her to enter. Lauren walked into the room and had to bite back the urge to scoff. Of course they'd stayed in a luxurious room that was practically a pent house.

"Darling, Lauren's here. She wants to talk to us." When Mr. Williams walked out he gave Lauren a slightly disgusted look,

"What is it? What do you want?" Lauren sighed and shook her head,

"I'll overlook the disgust for now. I know that neither of you like me and to be honest I don't like you. Especially after last night." He went to say something but she cut him off, "But that's not why I'm here. I'm here to invite you to the wedding." This rendered them both speechless. Mrs. Williams was the first to recover,

"I thought… last night she…"

"She hasn't forgiven you. Don't mistake this as her way of forgiving you. If you want to be a part of her life, of **their **life, then you have to make the effort. That's what this is, if you accept the invitation then you're also willing to try and be a part of their life. You can't just pick up and go on a whim or go for years without a phone call or letter. If that's too much for you then don't come. Don't give her false hope."

"Does she want us to come?" Lauren looked at him and saw a slightly soft look to his eyes,

"Yes, she does. She won't say it but she does. She's never had parents and she'd turned out just fine without them. However, she'd still like to have them. The position's open, the question is: are you going to fill that position or walk away again?" Neither one of them said a word so she continued, "And if you choose to be part of this family you can't be segregated from the Reagans. You can't judge them or look down on them because of what they do or how much money they make because she will always pick them over you. **Always**. After Tom and Ella passed away they became her new family. They've been watching out for her since she was ten. Danny and his family are good people. Some of the best even. They're not rich or own expensive things but they're wonderful people. They have a lot of love and are passionate about what they do. Can you live with that? Can you accept them?" Mrs. Williams swallowed hard before carefully asking,

"And what about you Lauren?" Lauren shook her head,

"This isn't about me."

"Kyla calls you family. That makes it about you… you look so much like my sister…" Her tone wasn't harsh but soft. Lauren was a bit puzzled but ignored her last statement and answered her question all the same,

"You're right, we are family. But I'm used to being… overlooked, by this point. If you choose to ignore me then so be it. It doesn't bother me in the least bit. I may have lost my family but I've found it again with Kyla, Tom, and Ella then I found it in abundance with the Reagan's." Mrs. Williams merely nodded and Lauren was finally able to identify what the soft look in her eyes was. It was guilt. She was feeling guilty. Mentally Lauren scoffed, it was about time. True she was a little peeved but she remained calm and collected. This was why she had chosen to go, because she was the only one beside Frank who would be able to stay calm when really she wanted to shout and curse at them. The two women stared at one another for a long time as silent words passed between them. It was the snort from Mr. Williams that captured their attention,

"So she's really going to go through with it then. She's going to marry that boorish brute." Lauren didn't miss a beat,

"The only boorish brute last night was you. Danny is a man you should be proud that your daughter is marrying."

"He has children and he's eight years older than her!"

"And he loves her! He is head over heels in love with her. He's crazy about her. I have never seen a man more broken than he was when she was taken. I have never seen a man so hopeless and lost as he was when she was in a coma. He'd die for her without a second thought. He'd go through hell and high water for her and never complain once. He's a passionate and dedicated man that would do anything for her. He didn't rest for one second until he got Kyla back safe and sound." He didn't say anything and Lauren wasn't about to back down now. She took a step forward, "Kyla **loves** Danny. She's completely and utterly in love with him. He was always there for her when she needed him and she was always there when he needed her. And just like Danny she would do anything for him. He helped her out of the dark places that no one else could, and she stood by him through his toughest days. Yes he has kids, but they love Kyla and she loves them. She adores those boys. Yes he is eight years older than her, but the age difference has never been an issue and it never will be. Not to them." Lauren sighed and shook her head, "If you can't accept Danny as the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with, as her husband, then you shouldn't come. She'll defend him to the death." Mr. Williams was silent which made Mrs. Williams speak up instead,

"We'll talk it over and decide what we're going to do… um… if we do decide to attend… where should we go?" The corner of Lauren's mouth turned up in a small smile as she gave them the address and the time before leaving them to think about all that she had said.

When Lauren returned she and Kyla shared a look in which Danny saw the unspoken conversation pass between the two before Kyla nodded and turned back to dinner. Lauren met Danny's gaze and gave him a half smile before mouthing 'we'll see'.

The rest of the night went by rather quickly as everyone was rather tired from the previous night and the rehearsal earlier in the day. So, everyone turned in early which allowed Kyla and Lauren some alone time. Lauren related the important bits which included the invitation and the bit about them not being forgiven yet. She included the part about her mother asking if she wanted them to come and asking for the address but left out the part about the Reagan's, Danny, and herself. Kyla knew she wasn't telling her everything and quite frankly she didn't want to know the rest. She trusted Lauren to tell her only what was important. She didn't need to know the rest.

"I'm really happy for you Ky. Danny's a good man. You're a perfect match for one another." She chuckled,

"Thank you, for everything. You've been such a wonderful friend and sister to me."

"That's what family's for. We look out for one another. You took me in when I was out on my own, so now I'm taking care of you." Kyla laughed a bit,

"By taking care of the craziness that is my parents." Lauren laughed,

"Exactly."

"Really though, thank you." Lauren shook her head before hugging her,

"Glad to do it Ky. Glad to do it. Now, go on up to bed. You've got a fiancé who's lonely without you." She pushed Kyla towards the stairs with a laugh,

"Pff, he's probably fast asleep." Lauren's grin widened, "What are you-"

"Actually I'm quite awake." Kyla jumped with a small yelp as Danny wrapped his arms around her from behind. Lauren laughed as Kyla let out a breath,

"Danny, you scared me." She smacked his arm lightly, "Don't do that." He chuckled before kissing her cheek,

"Sorry, but Lauren's right though. I'm lonely." Danny gave her a pout which made her roll her eyes as Lauren chuckled,

"Go on, before Prince Charming there goes off without you." The two chuckled as they made their way up the stairs.

Quickly I changed out of my clothes before crawling into bed with Danny right behind me. For a while we just lied their, staring at one another. Then a grin broke out across Danny's face,

"I'm gonna marry you tomorrow." I beamed at him,

"I'm so excited!" He laughed before pulling me close and kissing my head,

"So am I." I smiled up at him before kissing him softly,

"I love you Danny. I'm the luckiest woman in the world." I buried my head against his chest while he wrapped his arm around me,

"I love you too Kyla." And with that I went to sleep for the last time as a single woman.

The next morning went by fast. As soon as the two woke up Kyla was whisked away to the church where she would get ready with Lauren, Erin, and Nicky. Danny stayed at home with the men of the family who were taking their time in getting ready. Jamie told Danny that he would help the boys with their suits so that he could have some time to himself. Danny was grateful to him but when he was left alone standing in front of the mirror of his old room he began to feel the pre-wedding jitters. Mind you he wasn't having second thoughts about marrying her, he was just nervous about messing up his vows. He had spent a long time preparing what he was going to say and memorizing it all. He didn't want to make a fool of himself in front of her. There was a knock at the door which brought Danny out of his thoughts,

"Come in." Frank entered the room and smiled at his son's reflection in the mirror, "Dad," Danny turned around to face him before glancing down at himself then back to his father, "how do I look?" Frank pursed his lips and looked him over before taking a few steps toward him. He straightened Danny's tie before patting his shoulder,

"I think you like great son." Danny smiled at him,

"Thanks dad."

"Son, I want you to know how happy I am for you. I know I've told you this before but I mean it. For a while there I didn't know if you would be able to get back on your feet and move on, but then Kyla came along… and you became more relaxed and happy. You two make a good couple, you've proven what it takes to survive a relationship together and I know that you'll make her a happy woman." Danny chuckled,

"She makes me a happy man." He nodded,

"That she does… I'm proud of you Danny."

"Thanks dad… mom would've loved this." Frank laughed,

"Yes, yes she would have. She would've kicked you if you hadn't made a move yet." Danny laughed,

"She never was one for being subtle was she?"

"No, and that's where you get your blunt attitude from." Danny laughed,

"Something that I'm sure she was very proud to pass on. She would've been glad to finally make Kyla officially part of the family." Frank nodded,

"That she would've."

I fidgeted a little as Erin did my makeup,

"Will you hold still. You're going to make me mess up and then we'll have to start all over again." I sighed,

"I'm sorry I'm just… I really don't want to mess up. I want this to be perfect you know?" She chuckled,

"I know, and you'll do great. You can't really mess it up, I mean, it **is **your wedding. You could put a joke in your vows or ramble on about frogs."

"Frogs? Really?" She shot me a look,

"You know what I meant." Lauren chuckled,

"Besides if anyone's going to make a joke it'll be Danny." I thought about it for a moment before I groaned,

"Great, now I'm thinking about Danny making a joke about frogs in our vows." The girls busted out laughing.

"There, all done." When Erin set the brush down and I finally saw myself in the mirror I gasped,

"Kyla you look amazing!"

"Wow mom, you do good work." Erin nudged her,

"Of course I do. So, what do you think?" I couldn't believe that I was actually looking at myself. It wasn't a heavy makeup and was actually rather light and natural looking but it was enough to really make a difference.

"Erin… this is… wow…" I could see her smile in the mirror,

"I'm glad you like it. Now let's do your hair."

Danny stood nervously at the end of the aisle with hands shoved deep in his pockets. More guests had been filtering in within the last ten minutes and he knew that it was almost time to start. He kept reciting his vows to himself and Jamie chuckled when he caught him,

"Relax, you'll do fine." Danny opened his mouth to say something when something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. His eyes widened a bit when he realized who it was that had caught his eye. Jamie followed his line of vision and swore a bit. Danny took a step forward to go take care of it but Jamie stopped him, "I'll handle it."

"You sure kid?" He smirked a bit,

"I am your best man." Danny glanced at the couple before nodding. He prayed as Jamie headed toward the back of the church that they were here to fix things and not cause trouble. He didn't need for the Williams' to upset his bride on their wedding day.

When Jamie got to the back of the church he closed the doors behind him. It was his father, the Williams', and himself. Jamie glanced at the couple before looking at his father,

"Dad?"

"I think you should go get Kyla." Jamie furrowed his brow,

"Is, uh, is that a wise idea? I mean, after the other night…" Mrs. Williams spoke up,

"Jamie, I know that what happened the other night was tactless to say the least but… we've talked it over and after a very… enlightening conversation with Lauren, we'd like to make amends. We'd like to be part of her life, if she'll let us." Jamie gave them a cautious look,

"I don't mean to be rude but why should she? I mean, why are you just now starting to an interest in her life again?" Mr. Williams said nothing, letting his wife do the talking for him. He was a proud man, and he wasn't willing to admit he was wrong. Even for his daughter,

"We came back because… well, we were hoping to see our little girl again. She was always so excited when we used to come home and… she's not a little girl anymore." Frank pursed his lips a bit,

"You wanted to be a mother." It wasn't a question, and Mrs. Williams looked to the ground before nodding a bit,

"We had spent time with a family in Italy, they had five children. The mother was always working and always tired but she loved it. She told me that being a mother was the greatest gift in the world. It made me think about Kyla… I've missed so much of her life already… I knew she wouldn't accept us with open arms, but a small part of me had hoped that she would. I hoped that she would still be my little girl and that I hadn't wasted her childhood. But I had… and I realize that I gave up the greatest joy that I could have gotten."

"And what about you **father**." Everyone turned around to see Kyla standing on the stairs with Erin, Lauren, and Nicky. "Do you miss being a dad?" Mr. Williams turned to face her fully and for a moment the two just stared at one another. He had gotten older and the years had not been incredibly kind to him. He had deep wrinkles on his forehead and eyes seemed so old. On the other had he saw a tall, beautiful woman who had a confidence about her that he had never seen before. Where was the little girl who was running around singing songs and laughing? Where was the little girl whose eyes lit up at the sound of her father's voice? That little girl had indeed grown up. She had grown up and moved on, and he missed it. He wasn't there when his little girl needed him. When her first boyfriend came around, her first dance, and her first heartbreak. He should've been the one to be there for her through all of that, and yet he gave all that up to go gallivanting across the world looking for adventure. When in reality he had missed the most important adventure in his life. He had missed his daughter growing into such a beautiful and independent woman.

He sighed, "I know that you may never forgive us for leaving you, and by all rights you shouldn't forgive us. I was a selfish young man when you were born. I didn't really want to be a father. There was so much more I had wanted to do and a child would have merely held me down. I wasn't ready to be a father and my father knew that. That was why he took you in. He knew that I wouldn't be a good father to you and he was right. I have been a terrible father. I should've been there when you were growing up and I wasn't. I wasn't there for you like a father should have been. Your granddad, Frank… Danny… they're all better men than I am. I was a fool for not wanting to be a father, for not wanting to be **your **father. I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness but… I am so sorry." He let out a ragged breath, "I'm sorry for not being the father I should've been."

Kyla had listened to their words carefully and thought long and hard about what she was going to say next, "I'm still upset with you. Both of you. But…you have to prove to me that this time will be different… Because if you're willing to make an effort to patch things up, then so am I." Tears welled in her mother's eyes as she carefully walked towards her. It surprised Kyla when the older woman pulled her into a hug,

"I'm so sorry my dear, so sorry." Tentatively Kyla wrapped her arms around the woman before whispering,

"I know, I know. It's… gonna be okay." When she pulled away her father moved closer. He took her hand and kissed it,

"Things will be different this time. I promise." Kyla swallowed hard before nodding towards the closed doors,

"You better get in there then. The ceremony's about to start." They nodded before giving her one last look before heading into the sanctuary. Kyla let out a breath she had been holding. Frank gave her a smile as he helped her off of the stairs,

"You did good kid."

"Thanks." Jamie gave me a side hug,

"You handled that situation a lot better than I would've." Just then Sean and Jack came running around the corner,

"Wow!"

"You look really pretty Kyla." She smiled,

"Thanks boys. And might I say you look extremely handsome as well." They were both grinning from ear to ear. Lauren squeezed her shoulder,

"I'm proud of you Kyla." She smiled at her,

"Grandfather always used to say that forgiveness is not meant for the other person but for you. If you can forgive them than you have let it go and if you can't then they still have power of you." Jamie nodded,

"Your grandfather was a wise man." The music started up signaling that it was time to begin. Everyone got into place with Lauren and Jamie at the front, Jack and Erin in second, and Sean and Nicky in third while Frank and I were at the back. The doors opened and the procession began. I took a deep breath and Frank whispered,

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you." He squeezed my hand,

"Knock him dead kid."

Danny's heart pounded in his chest as he watched his brother and Lauren walk towards him. This was it. This was what he had been waiting for. He was finally going to marry his best friend. He smiled as he saw Jack and Erin and it grew when he saw Sean and Nicky.

The bridesmaid's dresses were a dark blue color and ended near their ankles where it flowed rather than looked stiff. They were long sleeved that flared out at the end. The groomsmen wore dark blue ties with dark blue flowers in the jackets. Danny and Kyla had agreed to blue and white being the theme of their wedding seeing how they were both cops. Danny wore a dark blue tie as well only he had a white flower in his jacket instead of a blue one.

Danny's heart froze when he saw Kyla and his dad come around the corner. He had seen her dressed up, hair done up, and wearing makeup but not like this. Her hair flowed down her back in soft curls and her face lit up with what little makeup she was wearing. Danny hadn't seen her in her dress and was glad that she had kept it a surprise. She looked stunning in it. It was a simple dress but it was the way she wore it that had Danny slack jawed and stunned. It was a simple V-neck dress that was similar to the bridesmaids' dresses in the sense that it was long sleeved and flared out at the ends. The bottom went to the floor and flared out as well in the back. It was big, poufy, and flashy. It was simple and elegant. Something that Danny had often described her as. She didn't strive to look beautiful or to stand out but in his eyes she was more beautiful than all the stars combined.

As they got closer he couldn't help the grin that spread across his face, and when she smiled back at him his heart began to beat again. The anxiety and nervousness faded away as he took her hands in his.

Danny looked so handsome in his suit and tie. I couldn't help but feel relaxed and calm when I looked into Danny's eyes. Neither one of us could stop smiling as the priest spoke. In that time I took in every detail of him. His hair, his face, his eyes, his smile… I loved everything about him. I had been looking forward to calling him my husband for a long time and I couldn't wait to finally be introduced to someone as Mrs. Reagan. I was brought back though when the priest asked Danny to recite his vows.

Danny licked his lips as he let out a breath,

"Kyla, I know that I'm not great with words and that I'm not really one for these elaborate speeches, so I've decided to just speak from the heart. Baby girl, we've been together for a long time and I thank God every day for that day I came home and found you sitting on our couch. You've been with me through the good and the bad, and you've always been there for me when I needed it. There was a time when I was a broken man… for a while I thought that I was destined to spend the rest of my life alone. But then you came back into my life, and when you first told me the story of the Claddagh ring I knew I was falling for you. I looked at you and everything just seemed a little better. Kyla, you mended my broken heart and I love you so much, and I'm so happy to be spending the rest of my life with you." Kyla had tears running down her cheeks as Danny spoke and he gently wiped them away while she let out a small laugh,

"You're making me cry." There was a laugh from the crowd before she took a deep breath, "Oh Danny, I love you so much. You have always looked after me and helped me even when I didn't want it. Everything you did was out of love, though at times it was tough love," He laughed as tears started to form in his eyes, "it was always love. You have such a big heart and you have so much passion. I'm blessed to be marrying you, to be marrying my best friend. When I was frightened you stayed up all night with me and held me as I cried and screamed. When I couldn't bear to be alone you would stay with me until I felt better. When I was too disgusted too look in a mirror or when I wanted to just give up you called me beautiful and reminded me of just how important I was. You never gave up on me, you never let me quit, and you always brought me back from the edge. I've never been more certain of anything in my life than being here right now, and marrying you. You've healed my wounds and I love you with all my heart." Tears were streaming down Danny's cheeks as well now as the priest continued on.

"The rings." Jamie handed Danny the rings and then proceeded to repeat the priest's words before slipping the ring on Kyla's finger. He beamed at her smiling face as she recited the same words and slipped the other ring onto his finger. "Then by the power invested in me, and as God as my witness, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride." Gently Danny cupped her chin before leaning in and kissing her softly. Cheers and clapping sounded as she kissed him back.

He wrapped his arm around her waist as she looped her arms around his neck. It was soft and wasn't rushed but it held so much love that she almost became dizzy. When they parted he pressed his head against hers with a laugh as the priest announced,

"I give you Mr. and Mrs. Reagan." The two faced the crowd who cheered and clapped. The music started and the procession moved outside where the wedding photos would be taken. Erin had already had it planned out where the pictures would be taken and how the guests would head towards the reception and get started on their food while the photos were taken.

Jacob had promised to be quick and in half an hour they were done and on their way to the reception. Danny and Kyla had gotten their own car, driver and all, and when they were in the back and finally on their way Danny looked at her and smiled. He took her hand and kissed it. She grinned at him before leaning forward and kissing him softly, "I love you Danny Reagan." He kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear,

"And I love you Mrs. Reagan." A big smile spread across her face. After all that they had been through and all of the troubles they had faced she was finally Mrs. Danny Reagan. He had finally married his best friend and he had no intention of ever letting her go.


	28. Welcome to the party

**I am so sorry it took so long to update. I've been so busy and had a lot of problems with my home computer and lap top. Forgive me for ignoring you all for so long, it wasn't on purpose I promise you. But here it is, the next chapter. I promise you this is not the end nor is it even anywhere near the end. This chapter was rather hard for me to finish because I wasn't entirely sure where to finish it. I can promise you though that you will not be disappointed with all that is to come in the future and hope that you continue to read. Please review and let me know what you think, I enjoy hearing what my readers think. Here it is, the continuation of How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?**

Danny and Kyla were the last to arrive at the reception and when they entered the room there were cheers and clapping. Danny gave Kyla's hand a squeeze as they made their way to the head table. When they got there they posed for a few pictures with family members and friends before Erin called for everyone to take their seats.

"Everyone enjoying the food?" There was a chorus of shouts and she chuckled, "Well, can we give a round of applause for Marcello's for catering this wonderful occasion." She held her hands out to the side motioning for Marcello and his wife to come forward. When they reached Erin she handed him the microphone,

"Thank you, it's been a pleasure serving you all. More importantly it has been a pleasure to serve you, Danny and Kyla." Anita nodded,

"To see you go from the little kids running around our restaurant and picking on one another to a couple with so much love, it warms my heart."

"Marriage isn't an easy road," Marcello wrapped his arm around Anita and smiled at her, "but it's a road worth taking." There was an aw from the crowd as he kissed the side of her head, "Now, eat up! Everybody eat!" The Gallo children made their way through the crowds serving people and taking dishes. Marcello and Anita though took Danny and Kyla their plates as Erin took the stage again,

"Now, Danny and Kyla don't know this but," Danny and Kyla gave each other a look, "we, the family, have come up with a slide show of pictures and videos that we think best illustrates who they are and why they're meant for one another." The lights dimmed as a soft music began to fill the air and everyone looked at the screen. Pictures began to appear on the screen while they ate and for the first few it consisted of them from when they had just met. He was eighteen and she was ten which made the crowd aw. Then it got to them making funny faces before it got to one that made Kyla bust out laughing while Danny groaned. It was Kyla's sixteenth birthday party and Danny was dressed up as Patrick Swayze from Dirty Dancing, the same picture that had gotten him into a fight at the academy. Then it got worse as a video came up and all too quickly Danny realized that it was the actual dance he and his brothers did,

"Oh come on! You kept that?!" Kyla was dying with laughter and so was the audience. Thankfully it was dark because Danny was turning red. Danny shook his head as he watched his younger self dance and sing to her with the cheesy movie soundtrack. He had even gotten the ending down pat and landed right in front of her. When the video was over there was a chorus of whistles, clapping, and laughter. Kyla looked over at Danny and whispered,

"That was the best birthday present ever." He gave her a small smile,

"I'm glad you liked it so much, though I'm never doing that again." She laughed and soon enough more pictures were rolling across the screen. There were more from family vacations and trips. Then came a picture that made Kyla smile softly. It was the picture that had hung on the Reagan wall for so many years. It was the one right before he left for the war. She was curled up next to him and he had his arm wrapped around her with his head on hers. Danny smiled to himself before he leaned over and whispered, "That was one of my favorites."

The next one made Danny bust out laughing and Kyla blushed. Danny and Joe had tried to teach her how to play football and Danny had accidently elbowed her in the nose and broke it. In the picture you could see her watery eyes and blood stained shirt and face. Danny had his arm wrapped around her shoulder and a football in the other. He had this poorly hidden smile on his face; you could tell he had been laughing. Her nose was a purplish-red color and swollen,

"Lauren I hate you!" The woman in question laughed and another video appeared. This one was a bit more somber. It was when Danny had come back from the war for good. He was dressed in his marine garb and looking around for his family. You could hear Henry's voice clearly as he recorded the whole thing,

"There's Danny, back in time for Kyla's birthday. Danny!" He couldn't hear him. You could hear some of the other family members calling his name but he couldn't hear them either. There was a lot of shouting and crying going on from all the families of the soldiers but there was one voice you could clearly make out from all the others,

"DANNY!" His head shot towards the voice as a younger Kyla ran towards him. He dropped his pack and met her half way. He scooped her up and held her tightly as he swung her around before sitting her back down. Henry laughed,

"Of course he heard **her**." As he zoomed in you could see the tears that were streaming down her cheeks as she clung to him and he clung to her just as tightly. You couldn't make out what he was saying but you knew he was comforting her when he kissed the side of her head. There were tears in his eyes but he buried his face in her hair, preventing anyone else from seeing them.

The video ended and as more pictures played across the screen Kyla looked at Danny. He smiled at her and took hold of her hand and kissed it before whispering,

"That was a good day for me, coming back home and hugging you." She smiled at him,

"It was good day for me too." The crowd laughed causing the couple to look back at the screen making them laugh as well. Danny and Kyla were in the kitchen wearing aprons and covered in flour. Danny was wearing a "kiss the cook" apron and a big grin as Kyla kissed his cheek. Then came one that was very memorable for the two. It was from a Thanksgiving football game about eleven years back. Jamie, Joe, and Danny were all covered in mud and in a pile while an equally muddy Erin and Kyla sat on top of them with the football. It caused a lot of laughter and Kyla looked at Erin and held her fist up which made Erin laugh and hold her fist up as well.

The next picture made Danny swallow hard. It was another one from when they were younger. Joe, Danny, and Erin were all sitting on the floor looking bored and Danny looked half asleep. But Jamie and Kyla sat close to the chair that his mother sat in and looked very interested in the poetry book she was reading. Danny loved this photo despite the fact that he was half asleep in it because it had his mom and Joe in it with him, his siblings, and Kyla. There were chuckles from the crowd as more pictures rolled across the screen before one came on that made tears brim in Kyla's eyes. It was when she was twenty-five and Danny was thirty three. Her grandfather looked old and rather frail and her grandmother looked only a little better. Her grandfather had hold of Danny's jaw as he kissed his cheek while they stood behind her and her grandmother who had her arm wrapped around the young woman. Kyla had completely forgotten about the picture as she covered her mouth to try and keep from crying. Danny pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arm around her before kissing the side of her head,

"I remember that day, we helped your grandparents paint the guest room and you flicked paint at me." She laughed as a tear rolled down her cheek,

"Yeah, and you painted my nose in retaliation." She looked at him and gave him a small smile, "Thank you." He wiped the tear off of her face,

"I love you."

"I love you too." He placed a soft kiss against her lips before letting her snuggle into his chest. They laughed and shook their heads as the pictures and videos continued to play. There were pictures of family holidays, birthdays, both of their police academy graduations, and even a few of them and Kyle. By the last one everyone had just about finished their food. Erin stood up again in the dimly lit room,

"Now, there's one more video we have yet to show but I wanted to explain it before we show it. As most of you know, Kyla gave us quite a scare not that long ago." She swallowed hard as her voice cracked, "And for a moment, we thought we wouldn't get her back. But as you can see she's here with us and she's standing tall. Now, the journey to this moment wasn't easy. There were a lot of ups and downs. It took a lot of work and a lot of pain. We decided to show this video because we wanted to show you how these two can make it through anything that's thrown their way." As she stepped down the last video began.

It didn't take long for the two to figure out where and what it was. It was at the rehab center almost nine months after she woke up. She was between two rails gripping them tightly as she tried to walk. There was sweat dripping from her brow as she cringed in pain and let out a few growls of frustration and moans of pain but she kept going. The trainer was at the beginning of the railing while Danny was at the end. It was clear that Danny was uncomfortable with having to stand there and watch her be in so much pain. He kept fidgeting and every time she stopped he'd twitch, ready to run forward at any moment. She cringed as she took another step and let out a yelp as she fell to the ground,

"Kyla!" Danny was by her side in a flash followed by the trainer. She was crying as the trainer asked her questions and looked over her legs while Danny sat behind her cradling her against his chest.

Danny remembered that day well. She was having an off day and felt like all of the work she was doing was pointless. It had broken his heart to see her so downhearted and upset. He squeezed her tighter to him and she took hold of his hand,

"I'm never going to walk again." She sobbed and Danny kissed her head,

"Yes you will."

"Danny-"

"Hey, you've come so far to give up now. You've overcome more than most and I'm so proud of you. Six months ago you didn't even have feeling in you legs and three months before that you were in a coma." He kissed the side of her head before pressing his cheek against hers again, "You've come so far baby girl. Remember at the beginning of all this that promise you made to yourself?" She nodded as the sobs died down and mumbled,

"That I wouldn't quit."

"Are you gonna break that promise to yourself?" She sat there in silence for a moment, "Baby girl, I believe in you. I believe that you can do this and that you'll walk again. Do you believe that? Trust me." A ghost of a smile spread across her lips at the familiar term. She licked her lips and looked up at him,

"I trust you… If you believe in me then I know I can do it." He smiled before kissing her once,

"Then let's get back to work shall we?" And with that he helped her back up and she took hold of the bars. Only this time Danny stayed right in front of her making her focus on him. He talked to her the whole way, "Come on baby girl, you got this." When she got to the end she let out a small laugh of exhaustion before collapsing against Danny's chest. He grinned as he wrapped his arms around her and held her up. He kissed her head, "I knew you could do it."

The video ended and the lights came back on. There was a cheer and clapping from the crowd and when Danny and Kyla turned around they saw that everyone was standing. She blushed and Danny smiled at her. Lauren stood and took the microphone from Erin. The cheers and clapping died down before everyone took their seats again,

"To show off Kyla's hard work we'd like to invite the newlyweds to the dance floor for their first dance as a married couple. Then we invite all of you to join them." Danny stood and offered his hand to Kyla. She took it and he lead her away from the table and onto the dance floor. When they were in the middle the music started. When the question of what their first song would be came up there was no doubt from either what it would be.

"You were always on my mind, you were always on my mind. Maybe I didn't hold you all those lonely, lonely times." Danny held her close as they danced, "And I guess I never told you I'm so happy that you're mine. If I made you feel second best girl I'm sorry I was blind. You were always on my mind, you were always on my mind." Slowly the two moved across the dance floor. True it wasn't a traditional first dance song but it meant so much to them. It was the first song they danced to at prom, and the song that he had proposed to her with. He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He pressed his forehead against hers, "Tell me that your sweet love hasn't died. Give me one more chance to keep you satisfied." Danny kissed her softly as they continued to sway to the music, "You were always on my mind, you were always on my mind." When the song ended there was clapping and Kyla couldn't keep from smiling. She caught Lauren's eye who winked at her,

"Now, everyone get out on the dance floor!" The place was soon filled with music, laughter, and smiles. Lucky by Jason Miraz started to play at one point and Kyla couldn't help but laugh. She looked at Danny who was also chuckling,

"I think we've just found our new song." She nodded her head as they danced and sang along to the song. The DJ came over the microphone announcing that it was time for the father daughter dance. Danny handed Kyla over to his dad who bowed slightly to her. She smiled brightly at him as he took her hand. The song was called Cinderella and it was one that she and Frank had picked together. They had thought long and hard about the song they wanted and in the end they had decided to go with Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman in honor of her grandfather, Tom. He taught her to dance as a child and for prom. Danny had danced with her at prom and here at their wedding. And seeing how Tom wasn't here any more Frank would dance with her at her wedding in honor of him. Frank got a little teary eyed as he looked at the grown woman in front of him. He watched her grow up into a loving and caring young woman and he was proud to call her family.

"So I will dance with Cinderella, while she is here in my arms. Cause I know something the prince never knew. Oh I will dance with Cinderella, I don't want to miss even one song. 'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight, and she'll be gone."

From across the room Mr. Williams watched the two with a sad look. Briefly he had hoped that she might dance with him but when she didn't he merely remained where he was. He had no right to ask her for the dance. He hadn't put in all the hard work or had the memories of raising a daughter. He wasn't the father who deserved to have a dance with his daughter. Frank had earned that right, not him.

"But she came home today with a ring on her hand, just glowing and telling us all they had planned. She says Dad, the wedding's still six months away but I need to practice my dancing. Oh please, Daddy, please!" Frank couldn't keep the smile off of his face as he danced with his new daughter-in-law. This had been a long time coming and it put his heart at ease to know that his son wouldn't be alone and that he'd spend the rest of his life being loved by a woman who loved him for who he was. He knew that Danny would take care of Kyla as well, that Tom could rest in peace knowing that his little girl would have a husband who would love her and not try to change her, and that she would have a family like she always wanted. When the song ended she kissed his cheek and he gave her a big hug,

"I think your husband misses you." She glanced behind her and saw Danny with his hands shoved in his pockets as he rolled on the balls of his feet. She laughed before looking back at Frank. He chuckled before kissing her head, "Go on." She grinned at him before turning around and quickly heading towards Danny. He grinned as she walked into his open arms.

"I missed you." She laughed,

"I was only gone for a few minutes."

"I know, but I want to spend every moment of today with you as I possibly can." She laughed before kissing his cheek,

"I think that can be arranged." The dancing continued for twenty minutes before the last song was played.

"And how can you mend a broken heart. How can you stop the rain from falling down? How can you stop the sun from shining? What makes the world go round?" Danny smiled softly as he pulled his new wife close to him once more. He pressed his cheek against hers before whispering,

"How can you mend this broken man? How can a loser ever win? Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again." Kyla closed her eyes and smiled as she listened to him. "We could never see tomorrow and no one said a word about the sorrow. How can you mend a broken heart? How can you stop the rain from falling down? How can a loser ever win?" Danny pulled back and looked down into her smiling face. The song went on as he leaned down and kissed her softly,

"And let me live again. How can you win? Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again. And let me live again." The song ended and Danny kissed her hand before leading her back to their table.

The air was filled with chatter and laughs as the guests made their way back to their tables. Henry and Nicky brought the cake forward. It was a beautiful white cake with dark blue accents. It was kept simple and had three layers. There were blue flowers on it and to top it off there was a bride and groom on the top. The two laughed at the addition of small police caps on the bride and groom's heads. Henry chuckled,

"That was Nicky's idea." Danny pulled his niece close and hugged her,

"Thanks kiddo, I like it." She beamed at him,

"Really?" Kyla kissed her cheek,

"Of course! It adds character." Jacob was quick to capture the moment as the two cut the cake and when Danny took some of the icing and put it on Kyla's nose, she laughed before taking some of the icing and flicking it at his cheek. The cake was cut and passed around before the call for speeches was made. Danny rubbed his hands together before standing up and taking the microphone,

"Well, first off we'd like to thank you all for coming and spending this special day with us. Each of you has been a big part of our lives and we thank you for your support and your love." There was clapping and Danny smiled a little, "Now, speeches aren't really my thing so I'll try to keep it short. Kyla," He looked down at the woman sitting next to him and cupped her cheek a bit, "I'm so lucky to have you as my wife and there will never be a day in my life that I will regret asking you to marry me. We've been through some tough times but we always come out stronger and closer. I love you baby girl." There was an aw from the crowd, "Now, some of you know how Kyla and I met and some of you don't. My kid brothers found this poor, scrawny little girl," There was a laugh as she shoved him a bit, "and Joe being Joe decided to bring her home. Kind of like a stray dog." There was another laugh as she smacked his leg with laugh, "I'm just kidding. But seriously, when I first met her she mouthed off to me and put me in my place. I was a senior in high school and she was just a middle schooler!" There was another round of laughter as he smirked at her, "I owe Joe a lot for that. It's because of Joe that I met Kyla. If there was one thing I could say to Joe right now it would be thank you because he introduced me to my best friend and my wonderful wife." There was clapping as he sat down and kissed Kyla on the cheek.

I smiled at him as I took the microphone from him before standing,

"Now you see what I have to put up with." There was laughter as I chuckled before kissing his cheek, "As a teenager and an adult I didn't have many boyfriends, mostly because this knucklehead and his brothers would scare them off." Danny stood up and leaned into the microphone,

"And I'd do it all over again." There was more laughter as he sat down and I shook my head,

"I didn't have many boyfriends and that was because my grandfather, Henry, Frank, and the rest of the Reagan boys had set such high standards for me. They showed me what real gentlemen looked like and that I shouldn't settle for less. My grandmother, Betty, and Mary had also shown me that I didn't need to rely on a man for everything. They showed me how to be an independent woman and how to survive on my own. They also showed me how good a marriage could be." I took hold of Danny's hand and smiled, "I can only hope that my marriage is half as good as theirs was. They may not be with us now but I know they're smiling down on us on this day." I handed the microphone over to Jamie. Danny pulled me into his arms and I leaned against his chest with a smile. He kissed my cheek,

"They'd be proud of you."

"They'd be proud of us."

Jamie smiled at us, "I have never seen my brother so happy as when he and Kyla first started dating. I've never seen him so heartbroken as when we almost lost her. I knew then that he was going to marry her. He was crazy about her, and she was crazy for even agreeing to go out with him in the first place." There was laughter as Danny chuckled and shook his head,

"Keep it up kid." Jamie laughed,

"I know you'll make each other happy. Kyla you've always been considered family, but I'm happy that now I can officially call you my sister." He held his glass up, "To Danny and Kyla."

"To Danny and Kyla." Jamie handed the microphone to Lauren, who smiled at me,

"What can I say? Kyla, we've been through a lot you and me. You're more than just my cousin, you're like my sister and I love you so much. I'm so happy for you and Danny and I know that you'll make one another very happy. Danny, you take care of my girl you hear?" Danny chuckled before nodding, "I mean it, I'll tell you the same thing she told Jacob. I can and will hurt you if you hurt her." Danny chuckled,

"You better follow through on that." She winked at him with a smile,

"I know you'll take good care of her. I'm happy to call you my brother Danny." She toasted us before handing the microphone over to Frank.

Frank cleared his throat, "Kyla, when Joe brought you to our home I thought that Danny would scare you off." There was a laugh from the crowd, "I did; I thought he'd make you cry. Instead, when he started to pick on you, you told him off and fought right back. I could hardly believe it when you two became friends and now… well, I can hardly imagine a time without you. Son, I know you'll take good care of her just as she'll take care of you. You two are good match for one another. You're both caring people with a passion for what you do. As cops and as people. You're also the most stubborn and hardheaded people I know." There was another laugh from the crowd and Frank smiled, "But I wouldn't change a thing about either one of you." There was a pause as Frank pulled out an envelope from his coat pocket. He fingered the envelope for a moment and pursed his lips before looking back at the two. He held up the envelope a bit, "Tom Williams gave me this envelope along with another one almost twenty years ago. In his last few days he explained to me that I wasn't to open these until you were engaged. He had made me promise not to tell you either. He knew he wouldn't get to see you get married so he wrote a small letter for me to read to you on your wedding day."

I was shocked. My grandfather had thought that far ahead to write me a letter. I was too shocked to say anything. I wanted to know what it said so badly but I was afraid that if I heard what he had to say I would start to cry.

"The first letter was in case you married someone else, and the other letter he addressed as 'if you marry a Reagan boy'." There was a chuckle from the crowd and I held Danny's hand tightly in anticipation as Frank opened the letter, "I had always hoped that when my little girl got married that it would be a Reagan boy. I also knew that if she was going to marry **any **Reagan boy that it would be you, Danny." I covered my mouth as a teary chuckle escaped my lips, "Congratulations kids. You deserve the best that life has to offer and I am proud of you both." Frank turned toward Danny,

"Danny, I don't have to tell you to take care of her and treat her with all of the love and respect she deserves because you already do. I have always thought of you and your siblings as my own children, but I want you to know how much **you** mattered to me. You helped my girl when I couldn't and you stood up for her, protected her, and you always had her best interest at heart." Danny smiled softly, "I will say this though, you broke her heart once, though she'd never tell you, and that was when you left for the war. She was so scared for you, and she saved all of your letters in a shoe box that she kept under her bed. When you showed up for her senior prom she couldn't have been happier and when you came home, well, that was the best birthday gift she could have ever gotten. I know that my passing has caused her grief and I know that you've been looking after her in my absence. Thank you. I can rest easy knowing that you are always looking out for her. Take care of our girl Danny." Danny held me tightly to him before kissing my head as tears welled in his eyes. Frank focused on me next and I swallowed hard in the vain hope that I could ward off my own tears,

"Kyla, my dear sweet girl, I'm sorry that I wasn't able to make it to your big day, but I'm comforted by the thought of the Reagan's and Lauren watching over you. I am so happy for you, you are a beautiful loving young woman and you're marrying a fine man. I would have been proud to walk you down the aisle just as I would have been equally proud to call Danny my son. I feel I owe you an apology though, I know that Ella and I could never substitute that empty hole in your heart that only a parent could fill," It was then that I began to lose it and a small sob escaped me, "but we loved you with all of our hearts and I know that you loved us too. And yet I still feel the need to apologize for my son. I should have raised him better, taught him better. Maybe then you would've had a real father, a father you deserved instead of an old, ailing man like me."

Frank's gaze met the man in question and in that moment he could see the shame and guilt that had been absent for so long, "But I was blessed and privileged to call you my granddaughter and raise such a fine young woman. I hope that I did right by you. I know you will be well looked after and loved not only by Danny but by his family as well. With all of my love, your grandfather, Tom Williams." There wasn't a dry eye in the building as Frank closed the letter. Danny kissed Kyla's cheek as she buried her head in his chest. Danny wiped his tears away before drying his wife's eyes. "Tom was a good man, he loved his family very much and he would have given anything to be here today." He held up his glass, "To Tom." Everyone raised their glasses,

"To Tom."

As the night went on more speeches were made and Danny and Kyla's department made a salute to them. There was more food and dancing and the somber moment was relieved with laughter and smiles. Kyla had even managed to convince Jackie to dance with her. At one point Kyla danced with both Jack and Sean while Danny danced with Nicky. Kyla had danced with Jamie, Jacob, and Henry while Danny danced with Erin and Lauren. As the night dwindled down and people began to say farewell Danny and Kyla were left sitting at the table that they had vacated hours before. Kyla was snuggled up to Danny who had his arm wrapped around her shoulder. He nuzzled her cheek as she kissed his hand. The family was taking care of the DJ, the arrangements, and the stragglers. She sighed happily as she shut her eyes. This was the way it was supposed to be.

Jamie and Lauren chuckled as they saw Kyla curled into Danny's chest with her eyes shut as he drew lazy circles across her hand. The two were extremely tired but blissfully happy as Jacob and Lauren headed towards them with smiles on their faces,

"Why don't you two go home."

Slowly I opened my eyes and blinked a bit,

"But-" Jamie shook his head,

"No buts. You're falling asleep and I can tell you're tired too Danny." I looked at Danny and sure enough he looked just as tired as I did. Lauren nudged us,

"Go, we can handle it. We'll see you tomorrow afternoon before you leave for your honeymoon. Now go." I chuckled as Danny stood up and held his hand out to me. I took it and he pulled me up,

"Alright, we're going. Thanks guys." I waved at them,

"See you tomorrow." I leaned against Danny as he wrapped his arm around me. When we got to the car that we had left in the parking lot earlier Danny opened the door and as soon as I was buckled in I was out.

Danny chuckled as he drove. He knew she'd be asleep before they even got home. He was tired but he kept playing the days events in his head. He finally married her. She was finally Mrs. Reagan. When he pulled into the drive way she started to stir a bit,

"We're home baby girl." Before she could say anything though he picked her up and carried her into their apartment. She had her head nestled into his neck as she mumbled,

"I can walk you know." He chuckled before kissing her head,

"Groom's supposed to carry his bride into their home. Besides, you're dead on your feet." She mumbled something that he didn't quite understand before her light breathing reached his ears. He smiled as he carried her to their room. He put her down on the bed before changing out of his clothes. He heard a thud behind him and when he turned around he couldn't help but laugh as he saw her sitting on the floor in his shirt, struggling to pull on a pair of sweats. He must have been more tired than he though, he hadn't even heard her get up. She ended up leaving the sweats on the floor and sleeping in just his shirt. She crawled under the covers and as soon as Danny was in bed next to her she curled into his side. He wrapped his arm around her and held her close before kissing her head. She yawned a bit before mumbling,

"Night Danny." He shut his eyes with a sigh of contentment,

"Goodnight Mrs. Reagan."

The next day I woke to the sun filtering through the curtains. I groaned before burring my head further into Danny's warm chest. His arm tightened around me just a bit as he took a deep breath. For a while I just laid there and listened to the sound of his heart. A smile spread across my face as I remembered the events of the previous day. I was officially Mrs. Danny Reagan. I couldn't stop grinning as I felt Danny take a deep breath and when I looked up at him I could see that he was starting to wake up. With his free hand he rubbed his eyes before sleepily smiling down at me. I leaned up and kissed him softly,

"Good morning."

"Morning. Can I look forward to being woken up like this every morning?" I chuckled before giving him a quick kiss,

"Maybe." He grinned before pulling me back in for a deeper kiss. When we pulled back I sighed happily before resting my head on his chest. For a while we just laid there in a comfortable silence. Neither one of us really wanted to get up, but when the alarm went off we knew we had to get up or we'd be late for our flight.

We had already packed our bags days in advance so all we had to do was meet the family at the airport. Most couples go to the beach for their honeymoon, not us. No, we chose a cabin in the mountains. A place where it was quiet and little to no people for miles around. Perfect place for two New York City detectives to relax and get away from the chaos.

Danny smiled a little as they drove to the airport. Kyla was practically giddy with excitement. She had suggested the idea not long after they told the family of their engagement and he thought it was a fantastic idea. He liked the idea of being in a cabin somewhere in the mountains with his new wife. They looked at a few different cabins and finally settled on one that was had a view looking down into a valley, a hot tub, state of the art appliances and electronics, and a four wheeler. Danny was more excited about the four wheeler while Kyla was more excited about the hot tub. She agreed to go on a ride with him through the mountains, something that she was actually very nervous about. It wasn't the bumps or the speed that frightened her, it was going up the steep hills and possibly tipping backwards and falling down the hill with a four wheeler on top of them. Danny promised her that everything would be alright and that it wouldn't fall on them. Something they both loved was the fact that it was far more spacious than the little apartment they had now. It was almost three times the size of their apartment and had a huge kitchen, not that she could use it for anything. Danny was going to be doing all the cooking on this trip and surprisingly he was fine with that. In fact, he was rather excited to be cooking for just the two of him. He could make it a much more romantic trip that way **and **he wouldn't have to try Kyla's cooking.

It wasn't long before they pulled into the parking lot at the airport and after going up a few flights of stairs they met the rest of the family at their gate. Their flight was leaving in half an hour which gave them little time to say goodbye but they quickly hugged everyone and kisses were given along with 'have fun' and 'see you when you get back'. Linda had brought the boys to see the two off and while the boys were busy tackling Danny she pulled the younger woman into a hug,

"I'm happy for you Kyla, for both of you. Danny shouldn't be alone and he deserves someone who can handle the stress of his job and understand it far better than I ever could."

"Thank you Linda. I'm really glad to still have you in my life. You were always one of the few that I could always count on." Linda smiled at her before pulling a thin wrapped box out of her bag and handing it over to Kyla,

"Erin, Lauren, and I got you something for your trip." She furrowed her brow with a smile,

"Really? You guys shouldn't have. The party was-" Linda shook her head as she pressed the box further into her arms with a chuckle,

"It's nothing big and expensive so stop fretting. It's just… something we thought you could use." Out of the corner of her eye she could see Erin and Lauren trying their best to hide their grins, "Don't open it though until two days before you come back."

"Linda, what the heck is-"

"Just trust us okay?" She did her best to hide the growing smile on her face and before Kyla could say anything she was attacked by two young boys,

"We'll miss you Kyla!" I laughed,

"I'll miss you too guys." The boys pulled back some and smiled at me.

"Have fun on your trip, and take lots of pictures!"

"And bring us back something."

"Sean!" Linda scolded her son and Jack smacked him in the arm. All any of us could do though was laugh,

"We'll bring you guys something back, promise." The boarding call was heard and Danny and I grabbed our bags again before waving goodbye to our family. After we made our way through security and got our bags loaded we finally got on board the plane and made it to our seats. Danny stuffed our carryon bags into the overhead compartment before sitting down next to me. He took hold of my hand with a smile and kissed it.

"I'm looking forward to spending two weeks alone with my new wife." I smiled at him before kissing him softly,

"So am I." The voice our captain came on over the speakers and the stewardess gave us the usual run down of what to do in case of emergencies and then the engines started up. Danny gave my hand a squeeze. This was it, this was the beginning of our adventure as a married couple. This was the beginning of my life as Mrs. Kyla Regan.


End file.
